Tale of Two Brothers
by Layna Remi
Summary: One cold winter night Will is found badly beaten in a snowbank; as the Med team fights to keep him alive a question arises for PD, Where is Jay and why does all the evidence point to him as the offender? A dive into the life of the Halstead brothers as both teams search for answers.
1. Chapter 1

The coldest winters in Chicago were always a sure shot that the Emergency department of Chicago Med would be filled. Maggie had called out at least fifteen fractures and sprains in the past hour and not only that but a countless amout of pneumonia or the flu had swarmed in since the beginning of her shift. Every so often a trauma would hit their doors; Ethan had just taken a teen who had spun out of black ice before connecting with a telephone pole. Maggie checked her watch, it was only 9:15pm, a total of two hours into her twelve-hour shift.

"Maggie, I just send up Ms. Delver in room six," Natalie rounded the desk and sat herself at a computer. "Admit is getting these people up quick today," She added.

"We cleared house just in time I guess." A quick scan of the waiting room was proof to her it was beginning to slow down.

"Maybe I can get out of here on time tonight, I have to be back at nine tomorrow and its quiet."

"If you don't jinx us," Maggie warned her. As if on cue her palm pilot went off to indicate and incoming, she sighed and looked to Natalie who threw her hands up in surrender. "We have an attack victim who was found, hypothermia case," She announced. "April; go prep trauma two, were going to need warming blankets and warm saline." April quickly ran off to prepare and Maggie turned to the woman who had just spoke the words that every superstitious Emergency room employee hated," Natalie, you jinx us you got this one,"

"I guess that I had this coming." She ran with Maggie to the ambulance bay door. As they stepped out a blast of ice-cold air blasted through them, the feeling of a thousand icicles prickled through their skin. It was so cold that their breath created large puffs. Maggie bounced from one foot to another as they stood and waited; she could hear the siren, a quiet whine in the that grew louder as the ambulance drew closer.

"I wonder how long he was out for, being out in this weather can cause your body temp to drop quick."

"Hopefully we can warm him up," Maggie replied through chattering teeth. The lights became visible even before the ambulance itself but when it was there, the two women jumped into action. A familiar face exited the cab and looked at the two of them a little fearful.

"A couple found him in a snowbank on Bleaker street, he's pretty bad," She pulled the doors open and revealed Foster straddling the patient preforming compressions while Kidd applied pressure to the breathing apparatus. "Body temp is at 78 degrees, we have him in warming blankets, but it hasn't gone up. She began to pull at the gurney and with Maggie's help she was able to bring it down.

"Oh my god," Natalie gasped, she was frozen in place as the recognition kicked in. The fiery red hair was what first caught her eye and then his face, though badly battered was unmistakably the face of her ex fiancé. "Will," she spoke breathlessly.

"You didn't know," Sylvie asked horrified. "Casey said he was going to call it in for us." Maggie broke away from her shock from seeing Will and resumed her control.

"Let's get him inside," She instructed. "Natalie, now," she demanded in a forceful voice to snap Natalie back into it. As they pushed through the doors it became clear that Natalie was going to be of no use as she sat in shock; scanning the room she caught sight of Monique. "Monique, get Ethan in trauma two now," using her voice of power she sent Monique shooting from her chair and into the doctor's lounge. After quickly pushing Will though Trauma twos door she turned to Natalie.

"You need to sit this one out," She tried to get though Natalie's shock, but it wasn't working. She could hear April behind her let out a shocked gasp as she saw the patient, but her focus had to stay on Natalie. "Go call Jay, he needs to know, Natalie, we've got it…GO!"

"Mags what do we got?" Ethan nearly ran into Natalie as she mindlessly walked away from the room.

"Ethan, its Will," like a band aid she threw him the news with little warning but unlike his coworker he nodded and entered the room.

"What's his story," He asked Kidd as she squeezed another puff of air into Will's body.

"He was found in a snowbank on Bleaker street, he's been down for an unknow about of time. "

"He's bradying down," April announced as she connected the pulse ox reader to Will's left pointer finger. His knuckles were bruised and bloody, the look ran all the way up his arm; he had obviously but up a fight but lost.

"We need to start a central line," Ethan announced, April ran out to grab the kit. "He's hypoxic," Ethan dreaded the thought but one look at the monitor and a quick check with his stethoscope told him that Will's brain was not getting the oxygen he needed. He was maybe a little grateful that Will was hypothermic, it could be a saving grace with they hypoxia and whatever other injuries he may have. "We need to intubate, page Connor, I need help in here," He called to Maggie after she handed the tubing kit.

April turned just as Ethan pulled the guide wire out of the tube, she stopped for a moment, taking in what was happening before being bumped by Connor.

"What the hell happened?"

"Don't know they found him in a snowbank badly beaten, can you try the ultrasound?" Ethan was currently trying his best to keep a steady hand as he needled his way into Will's neck with the central line.

"I see a little bit of free fluid, could be minor or it the bleed could be slowed down from the hypothermia."

"That will work in our favor, I want x-ray here ASAP Maggie," Ethan demanded.

"That and a head CT, all this bruising is not a good sign and this gash on the side of his head makes me think maybe there could be some intercranial bleeding."

"We will work quick, as soon as his body temp starts to go up his body is going to catch up. As they continued to work, they missed the entrance of Goodwin and Charles who stood idly in the doorway, in fact most of the emergency room staff was trying to steal a peek into the room.

"Has anyone called Jay," Sharon asked, her face filled with worry. As if on cue two members of intelligence walked over, neither one of them Jay.

"We had just gotten to Molly's when we heard," Kim explained.

"Figure we would beat other detectives to the case," Atwater continued. Both looked at Will, all color drained from Kim's face as she looked at the tubes and wires.

"I think its safe to assume Jay doesn't know," Connor asked.

"Antonio went to get him; he wasn't at the bar and his phones dead."

"We got Voight and Upton at the crime scene, how's he doing," Atwater asked.

"Hypothermic, badly beaten, we are looking into the extent of his injuries now, we actually need you to step out."

"X-ray," Ethan explained.

"We have to get evidence when you're done, he has a lot of blood on him and chances are based on his hands its not all his."

"Couple more he's all yours." The x-ray quickly finished and gave them the all clear, they stepped back inside, "Put a rush on those," Connor insisted. Now Will lay there, not at all well but stable as could be for now. Intubated and wrapped in the in the bear hugger they waited and watched to see if his temp went up.

"I'll have the hybrid OR prepped for when he warms up," He quickly exited, taking Maggie with him and leaving the detectives to take their samples and pictures.

"Will he wake up," Kim looked to Ethan as she scraped under Will's fingernails.

"We don't know, He's been down for god knows how long and he's hypoxic, an injury to the brain that could prove to be complicated." He ran a pen light in front of Will's eye as he propped open the eye lid, equal but sluggishly responsive. "We are hoping that the hypothermia will work in our favor," he added.

"The cold slows down the body's response right," Kim asked.

"Correct, it is giving him a chance, we just have to wait and see." Kevin's phone went off in his pocket and he excused himself, flashing the phone to Kim to show that Voight was calling, maybe for an update. Kim finished her collecting and stood for a moment as the doctors continued their exam.

"He is all Jay has left," She reminded them sadly.

"I know, he is a part of our family too, we are going to do our best." Kim smiled at April's calm and reassuring response; April had known the boys for a long while when they were younger.

"Kim," Atwater popped his head into the trauma room and motioned for her to come out to talk.

"Did you get a hold of Jay yet," April asked before the two could leave.

"Not yet, he wasn't home." Kevin Atwater was hiding something and with her years of knowing him Kim was able to tell it wasn't something great, she quickly excused herself and followed him out.

"What's going on," She whispered once outside the room.

"Come on," he dragged her outside into the frigid night air. "Just got a call from Voight, blood trail from Will that ended at bleaker street started four streets over."

"He walked that far in his state."

"Yeah but Kim he started on South,"

"Where Jay lives," It pulled itself together finally, "Where is Jay?"

"He wasn't there, but there was a struggle in the apartment, no signs of forced entry and the route Will took was not alone."

"So, Jay was with him?"

"It looks like most of the blood matches Will, we had Jay's DNA on file."

"So, what are you saying Kev, someone has Jay?"

"There is another possibility," he said grimly. Kim looked at him in confusion for a moment before it clicked what Kevin was trying to say.

"Absolutely not; there is no way Jay did this to Will, lets get the DNA to the lab to knock that theory out ASAP." Not a forced entry and only two DNA sources at the crime scene, no one wanted to believe Jay would do this but could it have been?


	2. Chapter 2

"Voight stood in the middle of the crime scene as a handful of Crime scene investigators snapped pictures and collected samples. No sign of Jay had turned up and currently Antonio, Haley and Adam were canvasing the building to see if anyone heard or saw anything. The flash of a camera caught Voight's attention; a CSI was focused on a lamp that lay broken on the floor, the shade was crumpled, and the bulb shattered. It was the weapon no question that had put Will in the state he was in, the metal stand of the lamp lay bloody, carelessly thrown ten feet away from its parts. Blood splatter had been sprayed up the walls, it wasn't hard to see from the trajectory that Will had been laying on the floor when he had been beaten.

"Voight," Antonio appeared in the doorway. He was stunned by the crime scene yet again as he crossed the yellow tape after placing the booties over his shoes. When they first arrived, they had all been stuck in place, not sure what had happened, but it was all overwhelming, so Voight had sent them out. Now, as Antonio stepped back in the coppery smell attacked him, it hung heavy in the air.

"What do you have Dawson?"

"Canvased the whole building, the neighbor below Jay said he heard loud stomping and a few thuds and the one next door said he heard some shouting."

"Shouting but he didn't call 911," Voight questioned.

"His excuse was Jay's a cop, so he didn't see the point, also this man was in his late 80s, spoke highly of Jay."

"So, no witnesses in the building, maybe Adam and Haley will find something."

"Where we able to track Jay's phone?"

"No need, his phone and wallet are here, nothing is missing."

"I don't like this," Antonio voiced his concern. "There was no forced entry, nothing is missing and all we have his Will beaten close to death."

"Maybe they knew their attacker," Voight had to have such wishful thinking. Given everything they had so far there was a possibility that no one wanted to jump to. Hank watched as one of the investigators placed the metal base into a bag, sealing it shut.

"We've got everything we need here Sargent Voight; we are going to take it back for processing.

"And put a rush on it," he demanded.

As Voight was barking orders Haley and Adam scanned through the blizzardy streets to find some sign of Jay. The blood trail obviously ended with Will collapsing in the snowbank, there had been no indication that he had been with Jay at the time of escape. It had been silent out, the blizzard had boarded up much of the Chicagoans, it had been sheer luck that a couple had braved the storm for a bite to eat or Will wouldn't have been found in time. The heat was on full blast in the car but still Haley's fingertips felt frostbitten for the ten minutes she had just spent out of the truck. Adam's cheeks were a rosy red where the cold had nipped at him, like a thousand little needle pricks.

"I can't see a thing," he complained as he tried to navigate his way up and down the streets while keeping a look out in every passing alley.

"I don't see anything; I don't think he is out here." Haley sounded defeated after three hours of searching there was still no sign of their friend.

"Of he was he would be a human icicle like Will," though it came out as a joke he was pretty serious about it and Haley knew that but still gave him a light back hand to the shoulder. She was growing increasingly worried about Jay, like a snowball in an avalanche. They had combed each street at least five times each surrounding Jay's neighborhood, anything more they didn't think he would make it that far.

"Maybe we should call into Voight, if we haven't found him by now, I don't think we will."

"I guess," Adam groaned in frustration. He pulled his phone out and clicked Voight's contact number waiting as it rang.

"Voight," the gravely voice of their boss sounded.

"Boss, we have searched these streets a million times over, no sign of Halstead." The other side of the line was quiet for a moment and then he could hear a muffled conversation between Antonio and Hank.

"Alright, we are gonna meet back at the precinct, we will meet you there."

"Roger," Adam confirmed before hanging up. He looked at Haley, both of them were a little frustrated by the lack of good luck in this case but they had been given their orders and now they dove back, both of them still keeping an eye out.

Kim and Kevin had returned first from the crime lab where they dropped off the evidence from Will. They had been able to get back a few of the photos and the DNA testing of the blood, there was only one donor; Will. Kim taped the department photo of Jay up on the board, it was always absolutely heartbreaking when one of their own was up there. She lingered for a moment as she was finishing up the board, it seemed too strange to be their case.

"I just got a call back from the lab," Atwater was running up the stairs. "Only fingerprints on the weapon… they were Jay's."

"Okay well its his apartment they were bound to be there," She rationalized.

"Yeah, perp could have been wearing gloves." He stopped next to her and stared at the crime scene photos, he was surprised at the among of blood that was sprayed on the walls, it was a miracle that with the injuries he had Will was still alive, especially seeing the photos parallel showing Will's bloody, bruised and broken body. They had spent two hours at the hospital before getting the call to head back and in that time Dr. Choi had listed of the injuries that Will had suffered. It was lengthy and both Kim and Kevin could see that the whole Emergency room staff was taking it hard. What they had heard was that almost all of his bones on his left side had been broken or fractured. Choi had voiced how shocked he was that Will had made it as far as he did with a fractured pelvis and Tibia.

"How's Will," Haley and Adam appeared at the top of the steps.

"He's critical, he got one hell of a beating," Kevin cringed.

"Internally he's a mess," Kim added.

"Damn," Adam shook his head, looking at the crime scene photos.

"Any luck," Kim asked hopefully, any little trace would give her some relief, but Haley shook her head.

"This is too damn crazy; we just saw him like six hours ago."

"Six hours ago, and he was fine and now he's missing, what do we got," Hank demanded as he and Antonio ran up the stairs.

"None of the neighbors in the surrounding buildings saw or heard anything from outside," Adam sat on the edge of his desk.

"We got the DNA back on from the crime scene, it's Will's."

"Nothing from Jay," Antonio asked in disbelief.

"There was a small trace amount of blood of Jay's but the majority of it was Will."

"So, they left Jay alone and beat the snot out of Will, that doesn't make sense."

"Unless they needed Jay unharmed," Haley was at a loss with the suggestion.

"Even so Jay wouldn't have sat back and done nothing," Kevin reminded them.

"So, what are we saying," Kim asked frustrated, "That Jay did this."

"No… I mean he…" Adam tried to figure out the words to clear all their minds of the thought be he was just as lost.

"As long as there is no sign of Jay, we are to treat this like Jay is in danger," Voight demanded. "Antonio, me and you will talk to that neighbor that came forward." Antonio nodded and ducked out of the room where the tension was so thick it could be cut by a knife. Kim retreated back to the board and scanned the photos, each one of them more gruesome than the next. Staring at the swollen face of Will made her nauseas and he stomach churned even more when she thought of Jay doing that to him. A photo that the CSI had taken caught her eye, it was a picture of blood splatter but they had also caught the image of a few photos from the table beside the wall. It wasn't super clear but she could see one of Jay, grinning gapped toothed as he held his baby brother in his arms, the one beside it was of Will and Jay outside of Molly's. Kim pulled the photo off the board and showed it to the team.

"There is no way Jay did this," She showed each one of them the photo to prove her point. It slightly worked, none of them wanted to believe this was Jay, it was their Job to prove it. Adam took the photo from Kim and carefully tore away to divide the crime scene and the photos. He pinned the blood splatter pick back to the bottom of the board before grabbing a knew strip of tape and putting the other half between Jay and Will's photo. It would serve as a reminder to help prove that terrible theory wrong. Adam looked at the little boys again, he remembered Jay saying how tough childhood had been but in this photo he was as happy as a clam; there was no way he could do this to his own brother.


	3. Chapter 3

Just a month after Jay's fourth birthday, Will was born. Jay wouldn't remember meeting him for the first time or then holding him with the assist from his mother. What he would remember was the moment his dad leaned in and told him that his responsibility was to look out for this new baby. It was something that most every new big brother heard, the older one becomes the protector but later in life the responsibility would have to be wider than the occasional beat down of a bully. Jay by the age of eight had become what he thought to be the man of the house. He learned pretty early on that his father wasn't going to be around much and that even though he was a kid Jay had to be the male role model that Will deserved. It meant that he had to grow up quickly and that he would have to take on more than any eight-year-old should. He did it for Will sure, but he also did it for his mother. He remembered hearing her muffled cries down the hall during the night when his father didn't come home, or worse the nights he would come home hammered and screaming.

Now, Jay sat across from Will at the kitchen table, as they both did their homework. He was just fifteen and Will was ten and if there was anything Jay knew for sure was that Will was the brains of the family. Jay himself struggled with school and pushed by with Cs in most of his classes except maybe gym class but Will excelled. Jay had accepted that maybe school wasn't going to be his strong suit in life, in his mind he still wasn't sure what he wanted to do with his life.

"Have you seen my work badge," Their mother came rushing into the kitchen with her scrubs on searching the whole kitchen for her badge.

"On top of the fridge Ma," Jay pointed. She stopped and smiled, swiping the plastic card off the fridge and clipping it to her top.

"Okay, I left a little money for pizza and I don't care that its Friday, don't stay up all night please."

"Okay mom," They both said in unison still focusing on their schoolwork.

"I should be home around seven and Jay you have a game tomorrow so make sure you grab your jersey out of the laundry and put it in your bag."

"Will do," He said obediently. With his mother there was nothing he wouldn't do; she was basically a single mom who picked up more overtime than most nurses in order to support her sons.

"Lock the door behind me Jay." She rushed over and kissed both boys on the cheeks before rushing out the door. Jay stood up and did as he was told, he locked the door behind his mother and returned to his seat to finish his homework. Tenth grade math had proven to be difficult as were most of his classes and he envied the way Will breezed through his homework.

"Maybe you could finish my homework," Jay teased as he closed his textbook annoyed by the geometry that sat before him.

"Maybe in four years," Will retorted. That's what Jay liked about him and his brother; they got along, they had to in order to survive a checkered home life. Sure, Jay got a little annoyed with Will followed him around after school but maybe in the back of his mind he didn't because he was doing his job right.

"Do you think Dad will come home tonight," Will asked looking at the kitchen clock. It was only seven, around the time that if his father was out, he would be at the bars, this was his fourth day in the absentee father routine.

"Nah," Jay replied, "doubtful, he probably won't be home until Monday." It was day three of his absentee father routine and they could range from five to six days at a time.

"You know what that means," Jay grinned as he shoved his finish homework into his backpack.

"Movie marathon," Jay smiled.

"Order the Pizza, I'm gonna try to get the channel," Will rushed out of the kitchen.

Jay didn't remember falling asleep on the couch, but he had and suddenly he was being woken up by the thunderous entrance of Pat Halstead. Both boys had shot awake quickly switching off the tv and cleaning up the mess from their dinner, but they weren't quick enough because a second later Pat came stomping in in a rage.

"Why are all the lights on," He demanded, "are you paying the electric bill!"

"Are you," Jay said under his breath, Will elbowed him a warning. Pat was walking through the kitchen slamming off the light switches, each time made Will jump. Jay pushed Will behind him as Pat walked back in storming at them like a raging bull.

"Useless, the both of you," he screamed. If there was one thing that Patrick Halstead was good at it was good at it was putting down his sons. A middle aged man stuck in the town he grew up in, sidelined from his dreams due to a bum knee and stuck in a crappy job, all his frustrations went towards the boys. No matter how many straight A report cards that Will brought home or how many games Jay crushed they was always told, "You'll never amount to anything, good for nothing kids." Both of them stayed silent as he went on with his rant Jay protectively staying in front of Will. "Aren't you gonna explain yourselves," Pat demanded.

"We're sorry Dad," Will spoke up knowing fully well that Jay had other words in mind.

"You two aint sorry," He shoved Jay to the floor hard and began swinging at Will who was able to dodge them thanks from training by Jay. This only angered Pat more and he quickly caught Will by the collar of his shirt. "Disrespectful piece of shit," He raised his arm up to strike Will but by then Jay had managed to stand up. He was able to loosen his father's grip to free Will and begin his own struggle. Will pleaded for his Dad to stop but he could hear each smack before Jay was thrown hard onto the floor with the awful sound of a crunch. Pat ran off again leaving Will trying to get his brother to sit up without hurting him.

"Jay, that looks really bad," His was afraid anymore but rather like he his mother nurturing and trying to problem solve.

"I think it's broken," he hissed in pain as Will gently held his arm.

"Maybe we can wake up Mrs. Lombardo and she can drive us to the hospital," Will suggested.

"No way, she's is the town gossip she will spread this around like wildfire."

"The Carson's are on vacation and Mr. Lenore is like a hundred."

"I'm fine we will just wrap it here."

"Absolutely not, Jay you need help."

"Fine but I'm not getting anyone else involved, mom doesn't need that."

"So when we get to the hospital what are we gonna say, you fell down the stairs?"

"No, we tell them we went to the Arcade and got jumped on the way back."

"Why are we even protecting him," Will asked angrily.

"Because he maybe a useless father but we need that extra little bit of money, especially because now we have a medical bill." Will eventually would be talked into not ratting their father out and after making Jay a homemade sling out of a scarf they trudged the hour walk to the Cook County Hospital. They lied to their mother, but she knew and the next time that Pat came home she bitterly threw his belongings outside and told him to get out. It didn't last long before he was back, but their mother had made it clear that if he ever place a hand on either of the boys again he would be out for good. From then on Will and Jay just dealt with the verbal abuse from Pat.


	4. Chapter 4

This case was getting so out of hand that not only had they used both sides of the board they had too bring in another. They were now on hour eight of the investigation and nothing seemed to be matching up. No witnesses, only two blood sources and now the skin cells found under Will's fingernails matched none other than Jay. To say that they were feeling defeated was an understatement.

"Anything back on the Burke Family," Adam jumped up from his desk as soon as Kim and Kevin could be seen clearing the first flight of stairs.

"Ray Burke died a month ago, complications with his heart medication," Kevin signed.

"What about his sons," Hank thundered.

"Tommy sure didn't have anything nice to say about Will and he was really happy to know his condition." Kim rolled her eyes, the man they had interviewed was a pig and a malicious jerk but he didn't have anything to do with Will's attack.

"Still locked up though and his calls are monitored, the only calls he makes are to his wife Vicki and they get pretty racy," Kevin shuttered.

"What about his brother, Tim?"

"An outstanding citizen since parole, he swears to be focused on winning his kids and wife back." Antonio rubbed his hands over his face in frustration; he was exhausted, pissed and worried and nothing that was coming at them seemed to be in their favor.

"Will has made the least about of enemies out of the two, are we anywhere on the list of Jays'?"

"Still combing through with a fine-tooth comb, his is probably can be a measurement of the circumference of earth," Antonio threw a folder on top of the teetering tower that sat on his desk.

"This is crazy, everything is pointing to Jay, but he wouldn't," Adam argued.

"Exactly unless it was some rage from a PTSD episode there is no way possible that Jay would do this to Will. Antonio had known about Jay's PTSD for a while and while it was under control now there were times where it would rear its ugly head, but the occurrences were few and far between.

"The only time I have ever seen Jay go back was when I walked into him sleeping in the breakroom."

"Unless Will tried to wake him that theory doesn't make sense."

"He wouldn't do that," Their heads shot back to the staircase where an exhausted and drained looking Natalie stood. The clock on wall behind her read 5:00am and after a long night of waiting for Will to get out of surgery this was the last place anyone of them expected her to be standing. She still stood wearing her maroon scrubs and they could tell that they were from that night because they had a few darker brown stains from where she had wiped Will's blood from her hands.

"Natalie," Hank stepped through the circle and greeted her halfway.

"He's alive, not out of the woods on any counts but he made it through surgery." They didn't even need to ask because she knew that even though they didn't work with Will, trips to Molly's with him and knowing that he was Jay's little brother was enough for them to worry for him. "Can we talk," She asked Voight. He ushered her to his office and closed the door behind him, seeing on all of the teams faces that they wanted to know what was happening. He sat across down in his chair watching as she hesitated around the chair across from him.

"What can we do for you Natalie?"

"I just want to know where we are with Jay."

"I can't talk about that, you know that."

"Cut the crap Hank, you know damn well that this isn't a normal case." He could see the fire in her eyes as she finally took the seat.

"He is still MIA; we can't find him."

"And I heard them say that you think he did this."

"The evidence is pointing that way," He exhaled heavily, admitting this was not easy.

"He wouldn't, that is not Jay, I have known them for so long and that is the last thing he would do to his own brother."

"Can you tell me how they were lately, did Will say anything to you about being mad at Jay."

"Will and I haven't been on the best terms as of late, but I can tell you that Jay wouldn't do this, you know that."

"I do but…"

"But nothing, Jay has ALWAYS been protective of Will, he had to."

"Because of Pat," Voight confirmed.

"He always told Jay and Will that they were nothing, and Will told me he used to believe it, but Jay was always to tell him that it was crap." The corners of her mouth turned up as she thought about it. "Will always told me the stories of big brother Jay to the rescue."

"Something happened in that apartment and we are not anywhere closer to answers, we want to discredit this theory more than anyone."

"If you are looking for a connection this wasn't someone after Will, he pissed people off but nothing like this, I can't verify this I just know."

"We are looking at Jay's list now, I promise when we find out what happened I will let you and Will know." She stood from the chair and reached for the door.

"Find Jay; Will will need him when he wakes up."

"We will," Semi convinced she walked out saying a quick goodbye before returning to what they guessed to the hospital. Voight stood in his doorway watching as she disappeared down the steps when Haley threw the phone back down to the receiver.

"I just got a call from Bonnie in IT; she was able to go through the video near Jay's apartment and she thinks she's got something." They all shot to the door, bumping into each other and barely making it through the door. The Tech Bonnie was shocked at the sudden presence of five detectives and their Sergeant, but she quickly turned around knowing exactly what to show them.

"I didn't see anything specific around Detective Halstead's apartment building, but I did find this." She clicked play and on four mini screens a gray pickup truck sat solitary in place. They were confused for a moment but then Jay's car came into place and the pickup followed, on the fourth screen he didn't appear, he had found a hiding spot out of camera view. "This happens every day for a week; the truck is stolen so I couldn't trace it but this man is there walking up every day. She thumped the man on a young white man about the age of 20, he looked like any average American white boy, but this boy was following Jay.

"Did you get a view of his face?"

"Yes, three blocks away," Bonnie handed Hank the printout. "Followed the car and surprise, surprise our Genius stalker goes home to the same location every night," She spoke with sarcasm. "25 year old Devin Sampson of 125 Inglewood Lane, got a list of priors, possession of drugs, intent to sell, and a couple of assault charges to name a few."

"Thanks Bonnie, we owe you one, keep looking for me okay."

"Can do boss."

"Let's flush this guy out and find Jay," Hank instructed. The team retreated to the garage where they quickly strapped into their bulletin proof vests and picked had a quick run through of what was about to go down. A man short left them feeling a little vulnerable, they didn't know what they were walking into, but they had to find Jay.

They raced through the streets of Chicago coming to Latona Street, which was a cross street to Inglewood, it was still early so barely anybody occupied the streets. Over the walkie, Hank handed out assignments.

"Burgess and Kevin take the back way, Adam and Haley you take the alley and Dawson and I will take the front entrance," he instructed. "When we go in be cautious, I want this son of a bitch alive," he added. Over the walkie everyone agreed and moved to their positions. Their hearts pounding, blood coursing through their veins as they all said a little prayer to find Jay alive. Over their COMMs they could hear Hank count down, Antonio adjusted his grip before banging on the door, "Chicago PD, open up," he demanded. On the other side of the door they could hear a clatter if noises, he was trying to escape. A quick solitary nod from Voight and Dawson kicked down the door, it clattered to the floor to reveal Sampson who ran skittishly through the house.

"Get Down," Antonio yelled seeing Kim and Kevin push through the back door. Not knowing what to do the man fall to the ground, arms sprawled out in surrender. Kevin, Kim, Adam, and Haley combed through the house, clearing each room.

"Anything," Hank demanded. Each one of them somberly shook their heads. A fury rushed over Hank and he pounded towards the suspect, lifting his head by his hair and getting in his face.

"Where the hell is he," he growled.

"I don't know what…what you're talking about," the man stuttered.

"Really, maybe I could help you remember," Voight drew his weapon and pushed in roughly under Sampson's neck, the man cried out with fear.

"Voight let's take him back to the cage," Antonio suggested not wanting this to get out of hand. If they wanted to find Jay the needed Sampson scared but willing to cooperate. Hank pulled his gun back and placed it back to the holster. "Get him out of here, and call forensics I want this place searched top to bottom, his truck too." Haley pulled her phone out to make the call and Dawson shoved the man into the back seat of his car. With no sign of Jay they knew this was going to go deeper and all they had now was this crater faced boy who would probably get them nowhere.


	5. Chapter 5

"Can one of you please say something," Jay pleaded but still he received no response. They had been sitting on the couch for three minutes still in shock from the new that Jay had just thrown at them. His mother was currently wracking her brain trying to figure out whether she had heard him correctly. As she pulled closer to the realization that she had the tears started to form and all she could do was shake her head in confusion. Will had a similar expression for the first minute and a half before he finally understood; his refusal to talk was purely out of anger.

"This is what I'm meant to do," Jay tried to explain himself. It was never going to be about convincing them because he knew they never were going to be an accepted life decision.

"You have to go and get shot at and bombed," Will let out a laugh at the idiocy he heard. His brother was "meant" to go put his life on the line and probably get killed in the processes.

"I need to go and protect my country."

"What about college, you were going to go to college," His mother cried. She was still in her state of shock but could understand the conversation that was happening.

"Come on Mom," Jay scoffed, "You know I have never been good in school, that's Will's specialty."

"You are smart Jay," She shot back.

"This is what I want to do Mom, please try to understand but I heard this calling."

"You're calling, come on Jay you could get killed out there," Will argued.

"I knew the risks when I signed up, and this will benefit our family," he added.

"How, how is this going to benefit us," His mother asked through her sobs. Will was holding her hand trying to calm her as his anger rose.

"Mom, I can send money back to help."

"Honey, we are fine."

"We aren't though Mom; I see the bills I'm not stupid."

"Jay; baby, you don't have to worry about those," She stood up and walked over to him.

"You work doubles to keep us afloat, you're exhausted I can see it; I do need to worry." He looked at her, wiping a tear that was starting to fall down her face. "Dad isn't helping, and you are overworked, you need help."

"So, get a job here," Will yelled.

"Will…"

"No, get a job here, stay here and help, why do you need to risk your life to help us?" Jay sighed and let go of his mother's hand, pacing the room trying to think of what to say.

"Listen; I didn't come here to convince you, what's done is done and this is what I want." Truth be told he was scared just like them, but it just made sense to him and though it may have made them angry now he knew they would forgive him and understand it was his life and his decisions. That; however, wasn't going to be much later because now Will was gone and Jay could hear the screen door slam shut from the kitchen. "Mom," He turned to her, but she waved a hand up.

"I need a minute," She cried before walking upstairs. He collapsed on the couch and let out a big sigh, it was like he had expected, ripping the band-aid off only things got a little messy and he wasn't sure when they would pass over.

After about three hours his mother returned and they sat and had a long discussion, just the two of them. At first, she had told him that she hated how he hadn't talked to her first but that she understood and that no matter what she still loved him, and she would pray for his safety every day. She had given him a long hug, it was as if she thought that if she didn't let him go, in logic, he would have to stay. After the talk she returned to her routine of dinner and told Jay that his next job was to find Will. That wasn't difficult because Jay knew Will like the back of his hand. Every time their father would upset him or he was just having a bad day, Will always found solace in one place. Jay made the trek to the park where he used to take Will, he would spend hours teaching Jay how to throw a football there or even have running competitions that always ended in disagreements over who had won.

Jay found Will in his spot, a small clearing that was away from the park that they had found once while running away from Pat. Will hadn't even noticed his brother walk up, but he had a feeling that he was bound to show up sooner or later. His knees were pulled up to his chest and Jay could see the puffiness and red rims of his eyes.

"Go away Jay," Will didn't even turn to meet his brother's eye, instead he looked at the trees in front of him.

"You don't mean that," Jay laughed. He sat down next to Will who still refused to make eye contact.

"What does it matter, I'm just preparing myself for when you leave."

"You're pouting, come on Will don't be like that."

"Don't be like what Jay, angry," He yelled. "I'm entitled to my feelings," he grumbled.

"I know you are, and I know you're mad but Will I'm not leaving forever."

"Oh, so you know that for sure," Will argued. "My bad I didn't know I was talking to Mr. Invincible."

"I know I'm not bullet proof, listen I can't change what I did and honestly I don't want to."

"Whatever."

"You don't have to be happy about it," Jay sighed, "but I am only here for a little while longer and I would like to hang out with you before I go."

"I don't want you to," A break in his voice gave away his vulnerability over the matter.

"I know but you are going to be just fine."

"You won't be there when the big things happen."

"Sure, I will," Jay laughed, "Just not physically but I'll be thinking about ya."

"Who is going to protect Mom and I from Dad?"

"You are plenty capable; he's hammered most of the time anyway you can easily take him on."

"This is gonna suck," Will flicked a few tears away.

"I know but you can write to me and I will call when I can, and I get leave once in a while so I can come home."

"I'm gonna really miss you."

"I'll miss you too but its gonna be okay," Jay promised. It wasn't often that they Halstead boys showed affection; growing up Pat would tell them that showing emotion was a sign of weakness but that didn't stop them. Jay and Will sat for a moment before getting up and Jay pulling Will into a hug which made Will laugh a little.

"Dad would have quite a few things to say about this."

"Telling us that we are weak good for nothing sons," Jay imitated his father, "nothing we haven't heard before," He scoffed.

"Are you going to tell him?"

"If he ever comes home… sure." He roped his arm over his brother's shoulder and pulled him close. "But that's another day, right now Mom is waiting for us, come on." They walked home as if any regular time, the thought of Jay going off to way still weighed heavy on both their minds but as Jay had said before he had only a little while longer with them, so they had to make the best of it. Jay would tell his father three days later and get the reaction he expected, laughter and name calling. Pat would tell him that he was going to die and that he was stupid for ever believing that this was a good idea. Will wanted to yell but Jay stopped him letting their father walk away but not before he told Jay, "good riddance." That was the last time Jay saw his father before his time was up at home, the weeks flew by and his mother and Will stood crying as he walked away from them at the airport to go fight for their country.

Hi all, sorry this took so long; honestly between work, writer's block and sleep I was having a hard time trying to finish this. I hope you enjoy this little insight of the Halstead brothers; the next chapter will be present day so hopefully I can get that out soon. Let me know what you think and also, I'm sorry if there are a crazy amount of mistakes, I'm tired, I'm lazy, and I really wanted to get this chapter out for you.


	6. Chapter 6

Devin Sampson squirmed uneasily in his seat as he sat in the silence of the interrogation room. The effects of the marijuana that he has smoked prior to his arrest had caused him an episode of paranoia and currently Hank was using this to his advantage. Both he and Antonio stood in the adjoining room watching through the double-sided mirror as beads of sweat trickled down the young man's face. He wasn't the brightest of kids, he didn't have the common sense to ask for a lawyer and Hank could see that he would probably spill out the truth after a few rounds between detective's vs idiot criminal.

"Devin Sampson, small time misdemeanor criminal," Hank sat and slit a file over to Antonio who stared Devin down.

"Tell us Devin what do you have going on in the South street apartments." The man's eyes went wide.

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"I think you do," Hank pulled the surveillance photos from the folder and laid them out in front of Devin.

"Seems to us that you have been following our detective here."

"Detective," Devin said in surprise.

"Yeah, Detective."

"I don't know anything about your detective."

"Then tell me why I have you following his truck and them after a few moments going into the apartment after him."

"It was part of the instructions."

"What instruction?" They could see that Devin had notice he had said to much.

"Come on Devin, either tell us what's going on or we will send you to Canaryville," Hank threatened.

"And I'm pretty sure that your friend Ian Wallace is there," Antonio reminded him, "You remember Ian, you let him take the fall for that robbery."

"Okay," Devin threw his hand up in surrender.

"I'm a drug courier," Devin admitted.

"What idiot hires a drug user as a courier?"

"He goes by espejismo, he isn't the type to tell you his real name."

"The Mirage," Antonio translated.

"Yeah sure, all I know is that he told me not to deliver until that guy walked into the apartment building and made it home."

"So, he wanted you to deliver drugs when there was a cop on premise, that doesn't make sense."

"Hey, I don't make the rules I just follow, that Mirage guy is nobody to be messed with."

"Where can we find him?"

"No clue, each drop is in a different spot, him and his back up come, drop it to me and them I distribute."

"Who lives in the apartment where you deliver?"

"Some chick and she doesn't seem to like it, she aint a user, I can tell."

"How so?"

"She's got her life together, I saw her in scrubs once, had a badge, it said RN on it."

"She's a nurse."

"Do you know where, did it say it on the badge?"

"Yeah Gaffney, she's a real pretty thing, makes me wonder why she took the drugs but hey no questions asked."

"What apartment?"

"320," he told them.

"Alright, thanks Devin." Hank stood up and opened the interrogation room door showing an officer from Drugs and Narcotics. "This is detective Ray; he is going to take you in for questioning."

"But I just helped you out, don't I get a deal?"

"You should have asked beforehand, maybe Detective Ray can work something out if you cooperate." Antonio and Hank slipped out while Ray took over.

"I cant see Jay not seeing a drug ring going on in his apartment complex, the few that I did interview were every open about how safe they felt with Jay in the picture."

"And even if he knew he would have brought it to us."

"Maybe he wanted to be sure."

"Maybe he was protecting this woman and whoever had her trapped found out Jay was a detective, saw him as a liability."

"I'll have Adam check with and see if any dealer goes by that alias." They entered the bullpen and Hank gave his orders to Adam who immediately dialed the number and started to get into contact with the gang unit.

"Sarge," Kim was hanging up her phone just as he was walking back to his office.

"What do you get Kim?"

"Sarge I just got off the phone with Med; Will's waking up." A small piece of relief was released through the room.

"You and Hailey go get some answers, maybe he knows who the attacker was."

As they finally pushed their way through the crowded police precinct, with all officer's eyes on them Kim noticed that Hailey had been pretty silent this whole time. She was Jay's partner and though she hadn't known him as long as the others, Kim could tell that they bond between them was strong, they had become best friends. Kim knew not to ask, the obvious answer was no, she was not okay much like the rest of them. Instead she focused on the white out in front of her hoping that Jay was out their frozen to death and that they weren't too late.

They made it safely to the hospital, an easy thing as most of the city was shut down because of the storm. Much like the precinct, all eyes were on them as they walked through emergency and to the elevators. Hailey pressed the fourth-floor button and stepped back as the doors closed.

"Maybe he can get us a step closer," Kim said hopeful.

"Yeah, I hope so," Hailey dully replied.

"I can take point if you want," Kim offered.

"I can do it, shouldn't be too hard, I know Will is going to want to find Jay more than anyone else."

"True, I just hope he remembers, I mean even though that hypothermia slowed the bleed he still had a brain bleed."

"Yeah, its all so terrifying not knowing but he's awake now and that's a good thing." They stepped off the elevator to the ICU where the spell of medical grade hand sanitizer overpowered their noses. They flashed their badges to the secretary who buzzed them in. It was only a few rooms down where they spotted Natalie sitting bedside to the bruised and troubled looking Will. His face was black and blue, his left eye swollen shut and his head wrapped in a bandage hiding his red mane.

"Hey," Natalie greeted them with a whisper. Unlike the last time Kim had seen her she was now calm and collected.

"How is he doing."

"I don't think he remembers much but then again he was only awake for a few minutes before he passed out."

"And I'm guessing most of that was getting a million questions about how he was feeling thrown his way," Kim guessed.

"You would be correct; I just worry, he isn't out of the woods but the fact I got to hear him speak was relief enough."

"I bet," Hailey smiled.

"Are you any closer to finding Jay?"

"We have a lead we are working on but so far nothing, but he is one of ours and we will find Jay."

"Jay," the three women looked over to Will who had woken up. His voice hoarse and quite but enough to grab their attention.

"Hey Will," Hailey and Kim took the chairs beside the bed as Natalie stood and held Will's hand.

"Jay," he called again.

"We are looking for him Will, do you know what happened to you?" They watched as his one good eye opened, a tear trickled down from the left. The look on his face gave them all that sinking feeling in their stomach.

"Attacked," he pushed out. Natalie felt him squeeze her hand and she shot the woman a worried look as if this were too much too soon.

"Do you know who did this to you," Hailey asked her final question.

"No," He threw his hand weakly in the air, pulling away from Natalie and making motions as if trying to defend and protect himself. Natalie looked at the monitor and quickly read his vitals.

"Kim, go call the nurse in tell them to get Rhodes."

"What's going on," Hailey asked.

"He's spiking a fever."

"Will, its okay you're safe now," Natalie called to him through his episode. "Shit."

"What?"

"His pressure is dropping." Hailey was not sure what any of this meant but she knew it was not good. A team rushed him, and she was pushed out with Kim, they caught a final glimpse of him before they drew the curtains.

"Call Hank, tell him this is a dead end for now, Will isn't in a good state to be questioned."

"I don't have to call Hank," Kim replied. "He's calling us," She flashed her the phone that read "Sarge" on the screen.

"Maybe they got somewhere," Hailey said hopeful. She glances back at the curtained room just in time for the doors to be pushed open and Will rushed out.

"What's happening?"

"He's bleeding internally, we have to get him up to surgery, I'll find you after," Rhodes rushed out as they made their way to the elevator. Natalie followed behind until the very last second where Rhodes told her she had to stay.

"Come on Natalie, lets go sit." She ushered Nat to the vacant room and sat her down before she went out and joined Kim.

"Hank needs one of us, they are going to go talk to a female suspect."

"Okay, I can go, can you keep an eye on her."

"Yes and I will call immediately when I know something."

"Thanks Kim."


	7. Chapter 7

When Jay walked through the crowded airport his senses were in overdrive. As he pushed his way through the crowd the screams of laughter of a group of children made him jump, the loud bang of a suitcase falling off the trolley sent his heart raising. He knew that as soon as he stepped foot of that plan he was going to be triggered by the hectic flow of the airport and there was one person he knew was going to have his back. He looked beside him and wasn't surprised to see that he had been separated from his friend, frantically he searched the faces before he heard his voice.

"There you are Jay," Mouse crutched over to him with his bag thrown across his back.

"Hey, right here," Jay said sheepishly. He felt silly being so afraid of not having Mouse right by him, but this was the one person who had been through and that understood everything that he was gone through.

"Let's get out of here." Mouse suggested. Grateful, Jay followed Mouse out of the airport and into the Chicago heat. Being back was bittersweet, he was glad to be there but knowing that the rest of his team wouldn't be there with him hurt. He was haunted by the memories of what happened and every night in the hospital as him and Mouse recovered, he would have terrible night terrors. He couldn't begin to think of the last time he had actually had more than two hours of sleep in a night. "You coming," Mouse asked as he swung the cab door open.

"Yeah, let go." So much had changed since he left the city five years prior, sure his mother and brother would update him on change, but he hadn't seen it himself. His mother had called him when she could the first two years, he clung to her voice as he began to fight and see such awful things. Then when he became a ranger his contact was limited but she wrote and so had Will until he left for college. Jay had always been close to Will but over the years he heard less and less from his little brother and he knew it was because everything he saw in the media only made him worry more.

"You cannot be serious," Mouse pointed to an old rundown restaurant that somehow, despite its looks had an open sign in the window. "Jake's is still open?"

"You act like we have been gone for 18 years," Jay teased.

"When we left that place was gonna be torn down."

"Must have saved it, its like a landmark." Mouse was from Chicago too just not from one solitary spot. His parents had been a match made in hell and after the third time CPS was called for domestic violence and child neglect, four-year-old Greg was launched into the foster care system. All his life he was bounced from place to place eventually finding a loving home before tragedy struck after three years in the home and he was place back in until the age of 18 when he set out, joined the army and never looked back. Mouse had only confided in Jay during their time together, they met at training together, a bitter rivalry that soon blossomed into a friendship and after their team was killed in action and they were the only two survivors it became a brotherly relationship.

Greg was lucky to be alive, most of it due to Jay's quick thinking, pulling him from the Humvee along with four other members and single handedly keeping watch over them until help arrived. Greg didn't remember much but what he did remember was Jay begging for the other four to stay awake, stay with him. Waking up in the hospital ten days later he was informed about the loss and then he was told that Jay had gone into an almost catatonic state after losing the others. It took eight days before he could get up and see will after a traumatic brain injury left him trying to regain his old self but when Jay saw him tears were cried, and Greg made a promise to stick with him.

"I can't believe we never ran into each other when I was in canaryville."

"You were there for a week," Jay rolled his eyes.

"A long ass week, the Hendershots were the worst, but I think we could have been friends then."

"We hated each other when we met, it took us a month to even be civil towards each other."

"That was because we were competitive, in school neither one of us were straight A kids I think we would have been great friends."

"Yeah maybe, but you would have been that tech geek."

"Right, and you the jock, ehh I guess I could be wrong." Jay laughed, it had been a while since he had but Mouse was a good friend and definitely the class clown. It was always his demeanor to keep the spirits up of everyone else, but he could tell that behind it all he was in just as much pain emotionally and even more physically.

"Did you take the meds for your leg," Jay asked.

"No mother, they are in my bag, I can take them when we get to your house."

"Right, I will be sure to check then too." Mouse rolled his eyes and looked out to check out the place that Jay had described.

"Wow, my brother wasn't kidding, half these places are new."

"Someone is trying to turn Coal town into a juice bar."

"But not everyone is conforming," Jay pointed to a bar called "The Pit" that sat beside a closed down secondhand store and a smoothie place. "That was my father's favorite place." Jay had gotten updates from his mother about what was going on with Pat but never once had his father reached out to him.

"Great, so drinks on your dad's tab then." Jay let out a weak laugh as he watched each passing building, most of them held a memory good or bad. He was considerably nervous to see his parents and especially Will. He worried that everything was different now, that maybe because Will was this up and coming straight A medical student that he wouldn't have anything to talk about. They reached the run down house he called home and nothing had changed. The same chipped paint and a slightly skewed shutter from when Jay threw a football to Will and missed.

"Hey keep the change," He heard Mouse call to the driver as he pulled the bags from the trunk. "So this is the famous Halstead household, not what I imagined."

"Is that a good or bad thing," Jay grunted as he threw both bags over his shoulders.

"Nah, it's nice I like it." They walked up the concrete sidewalk and Jay froze; the front door was open, airing out the over heated house that baked in the Chicago heat; this told him that his mother was home. He had told her little to no details of his return, not even the exact return date so as he walked up and she had spotted him through the kitchen window she was in shock. Before they could even reach for the screen door she come bolting out, throwing her arms around him.

"My Baby is home," She cried as she held him tight. He didn't even flinch from the pain of his injury he was just grateful that he could have this moment. She sobbed into his shoulder clinging on with no intention of letting go.

"I'm home Mom." He felt tears well up in his eyes, hell he could even see Mouse get a little emotional at the reunion. It was something that Jay had wanted for a long time but the sweet moment was ruined when his father came out. He was clearly unimpressed by the return of his eldest son, he wore the same look of disappointment that Jay had seen his whole life. He released his mother and stepped back staring down the man who had aged significantly since the last time he had seen him.

"Pat; Jay is home," She spoke trying to transfer her enthusiasm to him.

"I have eyes, I can see he's home Jenny," Pat grumbled. Jay felt his mother interlock her fingers with his and wrap her other arm around his.

"Good to see you too," Jay said sarcastically.

"They kick you and your misfit friend out or something?" Jay's eyes narrowed into a glare as he stared his father down.

"Pat," Jenny hissed, "You are being rude!" She walked over to Mouse who stood awkwardly a few feet away. "Hello, I'm Jenny Halstead, Jay told us all about you in his letters." Mouse extended his hand out to give a welcome handshake but she instead wrapped him in a tight hug, "Thank you for bringing him home."

"It was the other way around," Mouse assured her.

"You two must be exhausted and starving, come inside so I can whip something up for you." Jenny pulled Jay up the stairs and angrily pushed passed her husband who was still in a staring match with his son. It was broken once they walked into the house that had changed only slightly by the new pictures of Will away at college. Jenny sat them at the kitchen table and began rummaging through the fridge.

"Ma, where is Will?"

"What do you mean," She asked as she threw a few things on the counter.

"I mean wasn't he coming home this summer?"

"No, he decided to stay and take a couple of summer courses." Jay was a little disappointed that he missed out on that reunion. "You could always video chat him, he showed me how to do it before he left." She pointed to the computer which was new to him, lucky for him he had Mouse who was tech savvy. "Go lunch is going to be a little bit." Jay and Mouse walked over to the living room where the giant monitor was set and quickly and easily Mouse was able to dial the number.

"I'm gonna go catch up with your mom, see all the bad things you told her about me and make them right."

"Thanks," Jay smiled. He pressed clicked the mouse and waited as it "rang".

"Hey mom, can I call you back," His voice showed up before the video connected. It must have taken his side a minute too because his face dropped when he saw his brother sitting in front of him.

"Jay!"

"Hey Bud, how are you?"

"I'm fine, I didn't know you were home!"

"I told mom I was coming back; I just didn't say when."

"I wish I was there," Will held the disappointment in his voice, "How long are you home for?" Jay was silent for a moment; he hadn't told his brother that he had been injured and he made his mother promise not to tell either.

"indefinitely, I uh… I got discharged so I'm back in Chicago."

"Are you alright?"

"Better now, I will be just gotta get everything together now."

"Jay…"

"I'm okay Will, I promise." His promise wasn't one true, internally he was fighting a battle, but he never showed his weaknesses to Will or his mother. "Hey, maybe I can drive up soon, visit you while you are at college and get to see NYC for the first time."

"Yeah man, I would love that," Will grinned. In the background Jay could hear a knock at Will's door and another student call for him. "Listen man, I got class, but we will talk soon."

"Alright, I miss you and ill talk to you soon."

"I miss you too Jay." The screen went dark and Jay stared at it for a moment. Finally, home and he was still almost 800 miles away from his brother. His mother called him from the kitchen, lunch was ready.


	8. Chapter 8

12 hours; that is how long they had been at this, nonstop trying to find any small trace of Jay but they kept coming up with nothing. Hailey could feel the weight of it all pull her down as soon as she stepped foot out of Will's room and was alone. Jay was her partner, her confidant and best friend and knowing that he was out there in god knows what condition was beginning to take its toll on her. Still she powered through and she pushed herself to keep up her composure because any wavier could take away the little time they had. She walked the halls glancing at the text that Adam had sent with a photo and small summary of Anita Powell.

27-year-old Anita Powell was as clean cut as they come. A single woman who had not even a parking ticket to blemish her record and yet here Hailey was searching for her to question about Jay's disappearance. It didn't take long to find her once she took the elevator to the fourth-floor cardiac unit where she worked. It was as soon as she walked off the elevator that the mood shifted, and Hailey could feel something was wrong. She couldn't place her finger on it, but she knew something was wrong when she spotted the two men with matching neck tattoos already a good distance ahead of her. They disappear around the corner and then all hell broke loose; screams erupted then gunshots followed but the sudden stampede of people suddenly present running towards Hailey.

"I need additional units to the fourth-floor Cardiac unit at Gaffney Medical Center, shots fired," she called into her radio. She quickly scanned the crowed, clearing them of any threats and sending them to the safety of the stairways. Gun trained in front of her, she quickly assessed the scene, peering quickly around the corner before ducking back behind the nurse's station. There was an eerie silence now, gunfire had ceased but when she did her quick check, she saw the two men running back towards her. She pushed herself off the station and stood face to face with them.

"Chicago PD drop your weapon," She commanded. She knew that a gunfight was going to happen, there was no way that they would go down that easy, especially when it was two to one. She ducked behind her post again returning gunfire to the best of her ability, she was able to hit one of the perp's center mass and he went down hard. The remaining man dove into an empty patient room reloading his weapon began shooting in Hailey's general direction. She huffed and quickly shot back; she must have hit him because from the room she could hear a grunt of pain. Taking her opportunity, she came out of hiding gun still drawn and carefully made her way to the room. She kicked the gun away from the deceased perp and entered the room to find the other laid out on the ground, hands over a bleeding wound to the stomach. "Put your hands up," She demanded and after a hesitated moment the man gave in. She cuffed his hands behind his back, quickly grabbing the sheet bed and applying pressure to the wound.

"Hailey," she heard her name from the hall.

"In here," she announced. Kevin and Adam rushed in, once seeing that Hailey was not in any danger, they holstered their weapons. "We have to find Anita." She let Adam take over the pressure and rushed out into the hall again. Running quickly, she was able to find Anita who was still alive despite being shot in the chest. "I need help over here, get me something to put pressure on her wound," She called to the guys. The young woman was terrified, "don't worry, its going to be okay." That wasn't truthful, at the rapid rate Anita's blood was spilling from her body, Hailey knew that they were losing time. Kevin ran over, handing her a spare blanket he was able to find from a spare cabinet. Hailey pressed hard, Anita squirmed under the weight and her face contorted from the pain.

"Docs are coming," Adam announced, running to them after passing their prisoner on. It was a waiting game, all of them were in a panic as the color drained from Anita's once tan colored face but as if on cue a man and woman in white coats pushed Hailey aside and began working on Anita. Hailey prayed inside that Anita make it, she was going to give them answers.

"The perp, is he going to make it," Hailey inquired.

"You shot him stomach but the doc said through and through so I am assuming that he will be fine."

"As soon as he's out we are going to get some answers," Kevin growled. To he completely honest, they were all exhausted, beaten up and currently losing hope as time kept pushing forward that they would find Jay. They retreated, Kevin went down to join Kim while Hailey and Adam waited for word on the shooter.

It was two hours later when the shooter, now identified as Carlos Diaz was rolled out of the recovery room and cuffed to his new bed on the third floor. Hailey and Adam had been waiting for them, their need for answers had been making them go a little crazy as they had to wait for this scumbag to wake up but as soon as he did they were ready.

"Carlos Diaz, you're going to jail as soon as you recover," Hailey informed him flat out.

"Now you get to decide whether you want to cooperate or if you want go to prison where you will probably be marked for death," Adam used the same threat that Hank and Antonio used for Devin.

"I aint no snitch, and I will do just fine in prison, I aint saying another word to you." Adam looked to Hailey and nodded towards the door, reluctantly she walked out to stand guard. "Alright well, you're gonna be here for a while and those bills can rack up." Adam walked over to the IV pole and clicked down the morphine being fed into Carlos' veins.

"You can't do that, that police brutality," Carlos yelled.

"I'm just helping you save the cash and heartache." The effects of the lack of medicine quickly began their work as Carlos began to move uncomfortably in his bed. His hands gripped at the sheets as he withered in pain. "I can give you the relief, you just have to tell me where my friend is, and this could all go away."

"Go to hell," Carlos cursed.

"You're the one in pain, I'm in my glory." A scream escaped the man as pain surged through his body. Adam quick glanced at the door but no one entered so he was safe to continue.

"Your buddy is dead; you are going away and now you are in pain; things are not looking up for you kiddo." Noticing the increase of the man's heartrate Adam quickly took of the pulse ox reader from Carlos' finger and placed it on his own.

"I'll sue you," Carlos spat out.

"Oh no," Adam cried sarcastically before getting close to Carlos, "whose gonna believe you, a career criminal who just shot an innocent woman?" He looked at the monitor and smiled happily, "Your vitals look good man, how long do you think before they come in?" Carlos turned to Adam and spit at him, hitting him in the arm; Adam laughed at his poor attempt of revenge. "All you have to do is tell me where my friend is." Carlos glared at Adam and though he was trying so hard to mask his pain, Adam could see him start to squirm.

"Your friend is gonna die," Carlos taunted Adam through gritted teeth. Adam walked over to the IV pole and turned down the morphine some more and within an instant Carlos began to scream in an immense amount of pain. Adam quickly slammed his hand over Carlos' mouth, muffling the screams.

"You want to end this, tell he where Detective Halstead is," Adam demanded. Carlos forced Adams hand away and let out another scream, a look of defeat in his eyes.

"Fine!"

"Tell me what you know," Adam's finger sat on the morphine button in a taunting way.

"Your guy is at an old abandoned warehouse on Jonas Ave," Carlos hissed in pain.

"Alive or dead?"

"Last time I saw him he was alive."

"You better hope that he still is, or my next visit won't be so nice." Adam up the morphine and threw the pulse ox clip to Carlos.

"Did you get a location," Hailey asked as soon as the door swung open.

"Yeah we gotta go now, grab Kev and Kim, I'll meet you in the car."

Natalie was absolutely drained from the past 15 ½ hours since Will had been found, she hadn't remembered falling asleep but when she woke up Kim was gone, and Will was back from surgery. His vitals were good, his fever was gone and the color in his face had come back which was all a relief to her. She was terrified that he wasn't going to make it, she still was and after the way they left things if anything were to happen to him, she would be absolutely devastated. He had lied, been terrified of the Burke Family and honestly having gone through this she couldn't blame him now.

"Natalie," She felt a rush of joy spread throughout her. He was heavily medicated, groggy and maybe even in pain, but he was awake.

"I'm right here," She smiled through her tears.

"What…what happened," He struggled to force his eyes open, the florescent lights blinding him.

"You were attacked, you're in the ICU here at Gaffney." She watched as the wheels turned at, he struggled to pull the pieces together. She hesitated when he asked for a rundown of what was going on, flooding him with that much information may be an overload to his still healing head injury. She also wanted to avoid the topic of Jay and his absence in the hospital room, but it would be sometime before Will would remember anything about that night. "You are going to be okay Will, just get some sleep, I'll explain everything later." There was no fight about it, he was far to sleepy from the pain killers and in only a matter of seconds he was out like a light again. She hoped that the next time he woke up she could tell him about what happened and in the end that Jay was okay and that he was still alive, she prayed that the team would find him because the road of recovery of Will was a long one and he wouldn't be able to do it knowing his brother was dead and that hadn't been with him in the end.


	9. Chapter 9

He felt his mother's grip tighten slightly as they listened to the doctor; somehow, she had been so strong through it all even now as she was sat and listened to the terminal diagnosis. It had been coming and they both had known it; with her family history, losing both her grandmother and mother to pancreatic cancer and now here she was. Jay had been a mess, or least he was a mess when she wasn't around, he knew that her time was limited, and she was getting worse by the day and now they had a four-month timeline before the worst happened. He listened as she graciously thanked the doctor for everything that he had done, that he had not failed; always like his mom to comfort in crisis even when she was the one dying. They stood up and Jay shook the man's hand not able to truly meet his eye without showing the defeat he was feeling.

He locked arms with his mother, a woman once strong and upbeat not thin and frail from the round of chemo and radiation that did nothing to help her. She had dropped at least fifty pounds, her hair that used to flow down her shoulders was now gone and her once bright glowing skin was pail and ashen. They were silent walking to the parking garage; they were silent in the car not sure how to say that this was ending that Jay was going to lose the one person in his life that he truly trusted above anyone else. As they finally made it home and he parked the car she reached over for Jay's hand.

"It's going to be okay," She spoke in her calming mother voice. He mustered up a fake smile giving her hand a light squeeze.

"Come on, I'll help you inside." He got out and moved to the other side of the car opening the door for his mother and helping her out. It seemed to be a little more of a struggle every time, her body deteriorating as the cancer ate away at her. He helped her up the stairs to the door and then to the couch where he laid her down before going to the kitchen, by the time he returned she was already fast asleep; he covered her up before exiting to the kitchen again and picking up the phone, the phone rang a few times before he heard his brother's voice answered.

"Hello."

"Will, it's Jay," he glanced into the living room to his sleeping mother. He could feel the pit in his stomach, this was hardly the way he wanted to tell his brother about their mother, over the phone.

"Hey, listen I'm at work, can I call you back,"

"Uh…no Will we really gotta talk, look…"

"Hang on," He was abruptly halted, and, in the background, he could hear Will tell someone he would be with them in a minute. He couldn't help but feel annoyed that something else seemed more important that this call from home when he knew of their mother's condition. "Jay, this is gotta be quick they just asked me to help on an incoming surgery."

"Will, you're gonna have to pass it, this is important." He listened to the silence on the other end of the line.

"Mom," Will finally said.

"Yeah," He rubbed the back of his neck looking back at his mother, she was still laying peacefully on the couch. "Listen we just got back from the hospital Will and…"

"I'll be right there," Will cut him off, calling to someone in the background.

"I'm sorry am I inconveniencing you," Jay asked in annoyance.

"No, no; I'm sorry what did the doctor say Jay?"

"Will, you need to come home." Will was silent as he took in the sudden request or demand.

"How long Jay?"

"Four Months." Will let out a long sigh.

"I can be home in a week, I just need to tie things up here and I will be home."

"A week, Will you need to come home sooner than that," Jay looked back, afraid his raise in tone may have woken his mother up but she was still out like a light.

"I know that Jay, but I have patients I need to hand off and I need to book a flight home."

"She's dying, she has been dying since they told us three months ago and she is going to be gone in four months, every second counts,"

"I know that Jay," Will bit back.

"Will you haven't been here with her except for the five measly days you came home last month."

"Jay, I am trying but I have a job…"

"You have a job and a dying mother," Jay yelled, his focus quickly shifted to his mother who was still asleep despite his outburst. To say he was sick of fighting Will was an understatement, lately it had felt like that was all they were doing. Maybe it was because he was exhausted with his job and taking care of his mother, the long hours and lack of sleep had certainly gotten to him. Then again maybe he was a little envious of Will; that he hadn't had to witness his mother's struggle in the fight. Jay had been there when she was first diagnosed, when she started Chemo and then when she came home and vomited up nothing but bile every day after. He had taken her to every devastating doctors' appointment, helped her with her meds and dealt with the bills which had taken a toll on his paychecks since it was only him now earning. He would do it over and over again for her only, helping her get up, dressing her and cleaning her up; he didn't play the martyr, this was his mother, but he was doing it alone.

After letting out a heavy sigh and after a moment to rein in his emotions he finally spoke again, "I'm tired, Will," he confessed. "I'm tired of fighting, I'm tired of yelling, I'm tired and done because I'm going to be honest this isn't about me." He rubbed a hand over his tired eyes and massaged the bridge of his nose. "The fact of the matter is that in four months or maybe less our mother is going to be dead." As he said it he knew how absolutely morbid it was but he didn't know how else to push this into Will's head. "She will be gone and we wont get her back; there is time now though, there is time now to be with her say your goodbyes even though it's absolutely awful but at least you will be with her." He could hear Will sniffle a little over the line in response.

"You're right, I'm sorry."

"Just come home sooner rather than later."

"I will, I'll go talk to my boss now."

"I will see you soon then."

"Yeah." There was another long pause of awkward silence before Jay spoke again.

"Call me when you can, I love you Will."

"I love you too Jay."

And that was it, eighteen hours later Will was home, their mother was thrilled, it was just what she needed. They spent her final months with her and at the end of the third month they buried their mother and that was the moment that they knew, from then on out it was just the two of them; all the family, minus their alcoholic father, that they had.


	10. Chapter 10

"Nat, where is Jay?" what was she supposed to say, it had been the fifth time he had asked her and this time there was no distraction or excuse that came to mind. Each time he asked, Will was still groggy; in fact the first two times he had woken up after he regained consciousness he forgot everything they had talked about prior, she had worried he had Short Term Memory loss. It was until the third time that he repeated his question about Jay that he recalled that she was hiding the answer. She held his hand and looked into his eyes as he searched her face with confusion. She didn't have a poker face for this, with patients it was different, she was a stranger but this man in front of her she had started to plan a life out with, someone she had known for a long time.

"Do you remember what happened Will," She asked softly. She could see him wrack his brain trying to pull some type of answer out of thin air, in the end he shook his head in defeat. She let out a sigh and adjusted herself next to him. "You were attacked."

"I was," he asked in shock.

"Yes, you were."

"So, Jay is looking for who did this?" She bit the edge of her lip as she shook her head. For a minute she broke eye contact not sure how to present the rest of the news to Will. He looked so lost and now to add on to it, worried.

"You were attacked at his apartment." She could see the wheels turning as he searched for where she was going and then his eyes grew wide and she knew he was at the wrong conclusion.

"Jay didn't do this," Will insisted.

"Absolutely not; no, but he is missing, and they think they have a lead."

"Jay is missing," he repeated.

"Yes, but his whole team is searching right now, and I know them, they will find him."

"Yeah, I believe that one hundred percent." She smiled and gave his hand a quick squeeze and laid a gentle kiss on his forehead. "Do they know what happened to me?" She leaned back and nodded before relying all the information to him. How he was with Jay, somewhere in there they were attacked, and he was beaten with a metal lamp, that he had somehow escaped even with blood loss and a TBI and collapsed into a snowbank close by. She told him about how he came in nearly frozen to death but with the help of his friends he was still alive and how for now there were a few gaps but perhaps he would remember or perhaps Jay or the attackers would fill in the blanks. He was silent for a moment, taking in the full information before looking to her and nodding in understanding. She could tell he was falling asleep again, his body still healing from the brutal attack so she let him slip into a peaceful sleep, giving her time to take a breather, up until now she had tried to stay calm for him but inside she was a disaster. She took a breather outside his room, still close by incase; she checked the time, Jay had been missing for 14 hours, she began to worry whether or not she had just given Will false hope.

Only about six miles away from the hospital where Will lay recovering, the team crept silently around the perimeter of the abandoned warehouse that Carols had told them about. Hailey and Kevin rounded the back exit while Adam and Kim took the old docking station and Dawson and Hank took the front entrance. Over their COM system voice asked if everyone was in position, each of them sending out a quick good to go before Hank gave the orders to raid the station. Hailey ran in the back clearing the empty rundown offices on the left while Adam took the right side. In the distance she could hear gone shots before Antonio's voice sounded over the walkies.

"Offender down, second one on his way to you Kim and Kev."

"I've got eyes," Kevin radioed in. Kevin and Kim must have been close because Adam could make out clear as day that Kim was yelling at the offender to get down on the ground. Hailey and Adam finished clearing their area before meeting with Kevin and Kim, walking in just in time to see Kevin yank the man to his feet, hands cuffed behind his back.

"You guys need to get in here," Hank's gravelly voice yelled from a few rooms down. They rushed into the room pulling their perp behind them, Kevin pushed him into a corner and threatened him to stay put.

"Oh my god," Kim gasped looking around the room. It was obvious that this had been the primary location that Jay had been, it was very much in a similar state that they had found Jay's apartment, a bloodied mess. Hank's face twisted into an expression of pure rage, he pushed past Kevin and shoved the perp into the wall hard.

"WHERE IS HE," he demanded.

Anita Powell woke up confused and disoriented, she knew she was at the hospital, but she didn't know why she was in a hospital gown or why she had this heavy pressure pain in her chest. She looked around the room as her vision became clearer, she could tell she was in the ICU.

"Anita, thank god you're awake," She looked at the doorway and saw one of her friends, Lacy Martin enter the room quickly.

"Lacy," She felt foggy on what was happening.

"I'm right here; what did you get yourself into?" It flooded back so quickly, the two men that walked onto her unit, she knew them from a previous encounter, she remembered them calling her name and then shots rang out and she felt like she had been punched hard and knocked down.

"I need to talk to an officer," She insisted.

"There is one outside of the door, what is happening."

"My neighbor is in trouble."

Voight was well into his fifth round with the perp from the warehouse; Hector Benos, a young kid who was trying to act grown avoiding any questions that Voight threw at him. He was getting now where with him and time was quickly slipping out of their grasps. The blood from the scene was fresh so Jay had been there very recent and even better the bloody mess didn't all belong to Jay, but a good enough amount had which worried them all. Kid may have been young, but he wasn't stupid, he had quickly lawyered up causing the investigation to be put on a pause… or so he thought.

"Sarge," Kevin and Kim rushed into Hank's office.

"What do you got," he asked almost a little too hopeful.

"We just got back from the hospital; Anita Powell made a statement."

"Well…?"

"She was letting the gang hide drugs in her apartment to help her brother get out clean, she says they knew Jay lived in the apartment complex and saw that he was catching on."

"Does she know where they may have taken him?"

"No but her brother may, and he just showed up now ready to be fully cooperative."

"He is in interrogation room three with Antonio," Kim informed him." Hank pushed away from his desk and rushed over to the room. Antonio had just walked in, he slid a cup of coffee across the table to Luis Powell who sat white sheet faced.

"We appreciate your cooperation Luis," Antonio spoke in a calm tone.

"Espejismo almost killed my sister, she never deserved that she is the better of us and I dragged her into this." The guilt was written all over him he wore it heavily on his shoulders.

"How long did you roll with his crew?"

"Two years, I was stupid and reckless, it wasn't until Anita pulled me aside and pointed out my stupidity that I wanted out."

"But they weren't going to let you go that easy."

"They did… I just didn't know that Anita had made a deal with the devil to get me out."

"You know how they roll then, where they take people."

"I know they start off in the warehouse and if you didn't find your friend there, he could be in one of two places depending on whether they killed him or not."

"Assuming he is still alive," Antonio pushed on, not wanting to believe the later of the two.

"He also works out of an abandoned house on Addison street; they call it the murder house because an elderly couple was killed there, no one has bought it since."

"I need an address and anything you can tell me about traps or what to expect.

"I can do that; but please in return keep Anita safe, I don't care about me, but she needs to be safe."

"I promise you I will keep her safe just help us find our guy." Luis nodded and quickly scribbled down all he could think before sliding it over to Antonio.

"That's everything, be careful, Espejismo is a tricky guy and he may have switched things up since I left."

"Thanks," Antonio nodded before exiting and handing the paper over to Hank, this was their last hope, Jay was running out of time.


	11. Chapter 11

About three days after their father had been laid to rest, Will and Jay sat in their father's living room amongst the boxes packed with the last of Pat's things. Jay held on to a photograph that he once had almost buried with his father but snuck back to the apartment instead. It was a photo of his mother and father from when Pat had pulled himself together for a few months after Jay had deployed. He missed her so much and what shocked him more was that maybe he missed his father a little too. The guilt of his finally words still hung over him, things that could never be taken back and an apology that he could never deliver. Will handed Jay another beer before taking his space on the couch in front of a pile of old mail and receipts that Pat had insisted on keeping.

"We got a long way to go," Will sighed, throwing a bill down before reclining his feet up.

"No kidding, who knew such a small apartment could have so much stuff."

"I think Dad could have been a hoarder in a past life, what man needs fifteen cases of dental floss?"

"A man that misplaces everything."

"God if that man's head wasn't attached," Will started. Jay laughed and returned his focus on the photo of his parents.

"What are you looking at," Will asked motioning toward the picture frame in Jay's hand. Reluctantly Jay handed it over and took a sip of beer.

"I remember this," Will smiled. "He was maybe a month clean and some how she had managed to talk him into going to cousin Amy's wedding."

"I remember getting a letter from mom about that wedding."

"She talked about it all the time, how much fun she had." They let out a collective sigh, the sting of it all still panged in their hearts, though they never got along with their father losing him wasn't easy. Jay thought that it must have been harder on Will, he had always tried a little harder to get some sort of acceptance out of him whereas Jay couldn't care less about what his father thought. Maybe he did a little, when he had found the pictures of his academy graduation and newspaper clippings of his cases he had broken down. He had for so long wanted his father to be proud that after a while he pushed the need back and continued on. Jay looked over a Will who was still looking over the papers thought to himself this was it… they were the only Halstead's left just him and Will. He had thought the same thing when his mother had died but now it was true, it was just the two of them against the world.

"Will, I never say it enough but… I love you man."

"Don't get all sentimental on me now," Will teased. He watched Jay let out a breathy laugh before he returned the words, "I love you too Jay." Through ups and downs they were brothers; nothing would change that. Will knew that Jay would always have his back they way he would always have Jay's. That was enough, knowing that his older brother would be the same protective brother he had been since Will had been born had always been enough. Jay had been more of a father figure than an older brother, sometimes it was annoying and sometimes it was comforting but Will glad that this was the family left with him.

"Will," Jay called a little loud, considering that he was sitting right next to Will.

"Hmmm," Will replied still looking at the photo.

"Will we gotta get out of here," This time Jay sounded panicked and it worried Will.

"What," Will looked over to Jay and this wasn't right. It looked like his father's apartment, but something wasn't right.

"Come on Will get up, please you have to get up." Will was so confused, what was happening and why was Jay suddenly so panicked. It was as if they were in a broken 90's television set that was stuck between two channels, the room kept changing. The walls of his father's apartment grew fuzzy, when they cleared up, they were a different color, the burnt orange walls of what looked like Jay's apartment.

"Jay what is going on?" He stood up and looked around the horror movie of an apartment. He looked around in fear at the blood splattered walls and all of a sudden Jay had disappeared. "Jay," he called out, but nobody replied. Instead he felt a sudden sharp pain to his head, a hard blow to the head that knocked him to the floor again. He was confused but then he heard the familiar voice of his brother and when Will looked over, he say Jay shove a man hard against the wall, another laid knocked out beside the couch. He felt Jay yank him up from the floor and instantly Will felt ill, his whole body screamed at him, especially his head that felt like it was splitting in two. He was being pulled by Jay who was doing everything in his power to keep him going. Down the stairs to the back door exit the rushed out into the bitter Chicago winter night. With only his long sleeve shirt and jeans to cover him he felt the negative temperature bite at his skin.

"Keep going, come on buddy stay with me," Jay's voice pleaded. This was the first time ever that Jay had sounded so desperate and worried and it scared Will. Jay yanked Will farther before cursing. "Dammit," He yelled. He slid them down an Alley and kept running, how Will wished that they would stop running but he knew that if Jay was this worried, they needed to keep going. He was out of breath and the world around him spun viciously around him. He could barely make out Jay's face and his voice sounded as if he were shouting from the end of a tunnel. "You gotta keep running, keep going Will," Jay demanded. He felt his brother push him forward and let go of his hand. That was it, that was the last thing he remembered, letting go of Jay's shaking hand and continuing on, running before he couldn't do it anymore. His head pounded and he knew that something wasn't right, something was off. He fell, he wasn't getting up that much he knew. He felt his clothes start to absorb the melting snow causing his body heat to drop; he was in trouble but even lifting so much as a finger felt like lifting a thousand-pound weight. His closed his eyes, feeling the snowflakes hit his face, starting to cover his body as the blizzard raged on. His last sense to go was his hearing and he tried till the very end to listen out for Jay. Hear his brother's voice break through the silence that rarely filled the streets of Chicago. It never came though, he gave up and finally let himself drift off cold, wet and bleeding out left to die alone, not knowing what happened to Jay.


	12. Chapter 12

She could hear her heart thunder in her chest as she bounced around trying to keep warm. Again, she had been partnered with Adam and they stood at the back exit of the rundown home on Addison Street. The comms were quite as everyone else drew into position, this was agonizing, waiting for the cue so they could run in and find Jay… he had to be in here or else they would have to go to the secondary location that Luis gave them and that simply wasn't an option. She heard the click of static sound over radio and then the sudden gravelly whisper belonging to Voight.

"Three… Two…One," and they were off. As soon as the door broke away from its hinges the team was under attack. Two men ducked out from the far-right room and fired out shots, one bullet whizzed past Adams face, just missing his cheek. He fired back, but the men were too quick and ducked back into the safety of the room. Adam looked over to Hailey who gave him a nod, they progressed farther clearing a room on the opposite side of where the men were taking cover. When they popped back out both were prepared Adam fired a shot off hitting on offender in the shoulder sending him to the ground, the other offender struck in the leg by Hailey, quickly they ran over and while Adam cleared the room Hailey kicked the guns away and cuffed both men.

"Boss, we have two offenders down," Adam radioed over to Voight. They waited but from the gruff voice yelling from the front of the house the figured Hank had his own problems.

"Look," Hailey nodded over to the door under the stairs. It was shut but from the layout of the home, Hailey guessed it was a basement.

"Let's check it out," Kevin followed her lead, leaving the two perps cuffed to an old radiator. Cautiously Hailey ducked out into the hallway looking for any surprise attackers but instead she was met with Kevin and Kim.

"No luck upstairs," Kim informed them.

"We go a basement," Hailey nodded to the door.

"Boss, back of the house is clear as well as upstairs, we are heading to the basement."

"Copy, we will meet you down in a minute, got our hands full," Hank quickly replied. Hailey took lead, carefully turning the knob and opening the door. It was pitch black below and when she shined her flashlight down all she could make out was a rusty water heater. Slowly the made there way down, each stair creaking beneath them causing any attempt at a surprise entrance impossible. Kim wondered how the weight of all of them was held by the shaky stairs when with every step it felt like it would snap from under them and send them tumbling down. By some miracle they all made it down, Kim being the last down was relieved when she felt the secure sturdiness of concreate underneath her feet. Each steam of light coming from the flashlights darted around the room before Kevin's light hit the angry face of a dark eyes man who resemble a demon from a movie. He quickly redirected the direction of where his gun was pointed, knocking into Adam who quickly turned around, his flashlight landing on the bloody and bruised face of Jay.

"Put your guns down or your friend here gets a bullet to the brain." True to his word, the man who the guess was Espejismo had the barrel of the gun pressed up against Jay's temple.

"You have no where to go, put your weapon down." Now with the Kim and Hailey turning their attention over the were able to get a full lit up picture of what they were dealing with. Jay was tied to a chair, his arms bound behind his back, his legs tires to each front leg of the base. The sight of him made all of them sick to their stomachs, he was coated in blood, some dried, which could have been Will's, but the rest was without a doubt his. His face was cut up good and his lip split, they could see the rawness of his skin just above where the rope ended at his ankle meaning he had fought hard, trying to break free. The men keeping him hostage had stripped him of his shirt leaving his pale chest open to the bitter cold elements.

"We can start a shootout, but my first bullet goes to your guy here." He adjusted his grip pushing the gun hard into Jay's head. All of them where a little worried but the lack of resistance that Jay was putting up, his eyes were open but barely, he was on the verge of unconsciousness.

"There is no way of walking away," Hailey spoke hotly.

"Did you honestly thing that hiding your drugs in the apartment complex of a cop was a smart idea," Kevin scoffed.

"I was careful," Espejismo snapped back. "It was fine but he went digging where he shouldn't have and I could tell that Anita was going to break."

"It was your own doing," Kim yelled.

"She was weak, just like her brother that why I had cut her out, she was weak just like her brother."

"But you didn't cut her out, she's alive." They watched as rage rose in him.

"Should have sent two idiots to do the job but I wont mess up this time." He looked down at Jay and readjusted the gun, but before he could pull the trigger Adam fired landing a bullet right to the forehead, Espejismo folded to the floor, the shock still shown in his vacant eyes. Before any of them could holster their weapons they all rushed to Jay.

"We got Jay, Espejismo is down," Hailey could hear Adam radio to Hank, but it was all background noise as soon as she came into contact with Jay.

"Jay… Jay come on can you hear me." She cupped his face and instantly she felt how ice cold his skin truly was. Now, being this close she could hear his labored breathing, even the crackling of his lungs as they fought greedily for oxygen. "Come on Jay look at me." She watched as he sluggishly, with her help, lifted his head, his gaze falling on her.

"H…Hai… Hailey," his voice was practically gone but she heard him.

"Yep, its me, and Kim, Kev and Adam." His head dropped to the side as he began to lose his fight to stay awake. "No, no Jay come on stay awake, help is coming." She heard him speak softly again, this time missing his words. "What was that?"

"Will," he pushed out in a gasp of air.

"He's alive, he is at Gaffney now, Platt is standing watch," Adam smiled. Hailey could see a ghost of a smile reach Jay's lips as his eyes started to slowly close.

"He's waiting for you Jay, he's been asking for you, so you have to stay with us," Kim pleaded. Hailey rubbed his sternum trying to get a pain reaction, but Jay was slipping, his body numb from the cold, his lips blue not only from the bitter winter air but the lack of oxygen. They worked hard to keep him going, Adam and Kevin both draped their coats over his shoulders and they now stood teeth chattering. Hailey had taken a course on emergency first aid and with Kevin and Adam chattering away she quickly realized that Jay wasn't meaning hypothermia had set in and if they didn't get him warm now, he would freeze.

"Cut him loose quick." Adam and Kevin worked quickly as she unzipped her jacket, as soon as Jay was free, she wrapped her arms around him in a bear hug. "We have to warm him up, from the core first so he doesn't go into shock she instructed. Taking her lead, they all bundled in close.

"How do we know if it's working," Adam questioned.

"We know when he isn't an icicle anymore." They stayed like this until paramedics rushed down the stairs, luckily with a warming blanket. Before they knew it, Jay was being whisked away leaving them in the cold of the basement, praying he would make it to the hospital.


	13. Chapter 13

As soon as Dr. Choi stepped into the waiting room all of intelligence eagerly shot up and crowded around him. For the past hour they had been waiting, anxiously awaiting word on Jay; for the past hour Kim had been biting at her nails, Hailey mindlessly flipped though magazine, Adam gaze flicking from the floor to the door and back again, and Antonio wore a path as he paced through the waiting. After an hour it was understandable how they all stood anxiously around him, the look of desperation in their eyes.

"How is he," Trudy asked; she had arrived half an hour ago along with half the precinct.

"We just brought him up to surgery."

"How bad," Hank's voice was calm but everyone in the room knew on the inside he was just as worried.

"He went through hell; I can tell you whoever had him ran him through the ringer."

"Is he going to make it," Hailey voiced was strained as she tried to hold back the internal panic attack she was having over her partner's condition. Her worry only skyrocketed when Dr. Choi didn't respond right away but rather let out a lengthy sigh and asked them to sit.

"He is hypothermic, though I know you already knew that from what the paramedic's told me." They all nodded to confirm that they had tried to reheat him. "That was quick thinking and though it doesn't seem like much it helped in a big way."

"That first aid training does pay off," Adam tried to joke but it sunk down unnoticed.

"He has multiple contusions and burn marks on his arms and torso, he has a fracture to the left ulna, it was a forced break much like to the four ribs that are broke." Ethan paused for a moment, he knew that they knew what he meant, the capture had used the excessive force to purposely cause these breaks. "Our Major concern now is the amount of internal bleeding that he came in with; Dr. Rhodes is doing an exploratory laparotomy as we speak so we can find the culprit but he has lost a lot of blood, we are trying to keep his volume up but its proving to be difficult."

"What are his chances," Kevin asked unsure if he really wanted to know.

"We will have to wait after surgery to know."

"Has anyone told Will yet," Kim asked begrudgingly.

"I'm on my way to inform him now."

"Maybe I can go up with you, let him know we are here is he needs us," Hank suggested.

"Yeah, I think he would like that." Hank turned to ask the team if they would be okay, but they knew what he was doing and encouraged him to go, setting up the waiting room as a headquarters.

As Hank followed Dr. Choi to the elevators, he could feel his team watching him, the whole hour they waited he had never seen them so dazed in a fog. Once securely in the elevator with the doors behind them Hank turned to Ethan to ask the truth behind Jay's condition.

"What is the truth Doc, you have to have some indication."

"I wont lie detective, Jay came in in a critical state, I'm surprised he made it this far." It was true, the moment the ambulance pulled up and Ethan helped them pull the stretcher out he could tell that Jay was in trouble. He had worked in the Navy; he had seen his fair share of torture cases and Jay's was pretty up there. As soon as they set him on the gurney Choi, Rhodes and Maggie went to work. His first indication other than the bruises, cuts and burns littered throughout Jay's body, was the paleness of his skin. As the saying goes, he was as white as a sheet. He knew the Halstead brothers to be a little fair skinned at times, but this was another level. He had pressed hard on his sternum, calling his name a few times to get a response but there was nothing, he had lost consciousness four minutes prior so the lack of awareness worried Choi

instantly. When he placed the stethoscope to Jay's chest, he noted that his breath was shallow, labored and there was a heavy crackle on his left side. It was then that a decision was made, intubation as Jay was not protecting his airways. He called out different tests to run as he checks Jay's distended, bruised stomach. He could tell by the firmness that Jay needed an ultrasound immediately which brought them to the massive bleed.

The elevator let out its ding to indicate that they reached their destination. With a slight pause the two of them stepped out to the floor. Aside from the usual monitor noises the floor was quiet and calm. From there elevator, Will's room was just visible, Maggie was standing just outside, smiling and chatting, obviously happy with Will's recovery.

Hank knew loss, particularly when it came to family. He had buried his loving wife and then his only son, his family was gone. Walking to Will's room he knew the feeling, the devastating blow of being told that you were alone; sure, you had friends but that was different. He took a deep breath as they finally reached the room, he opted to start a few feet away, not sure how this would go. Ethan placed a hand on Maggie's shoulder and Hank saw the immediate recognition on her face, she knew it wasn't good. From his partially obstructed view he could see that Will also knew.

"They found Jay," his voice wavered. A rhetorical question, yet Ethan still nodded to confirm.

"Is he…" Natalie trailed off.

"No, Latham and Rhodes have him in the OR now." This provides little to no comfort for Will and it only got worse as Ethan went over in detail Jay's condition. Hank steeped in a little closer watching as slowly the color drained from Will's face. Ethan took a while to talk, answering the questions that both Natalie and Will asked before apologizing to Will for the horrible events that had transpired over the past 38 hours and then about how Jay's condition was critical, and the odds were not in his favor. In response Will offered an empty thank you as he sat in shock.

Ethan walked past Hank and gave a weak smile before disappearing back to the elevator. Hank waited another moment, perhaps to collect himself in order to keep up with his gruff façade. As he appeared in the doorway, he studied Will and Natalie who state overwhelmed with the news.

"Will," Hank knocked on the doorframe making his presence known. Will took a moment to focus, looking up at Hank as lost as could be.

"Hank…come in." Will never made eye contact instead he looked down at how sheets staring into oblivion.

"I know this won't make everything magically better, but you should know, we caught your attacker and the leader behind it all."

"That's… thank you," Natalie spoke half heartedly.

"They won't come near you again," Hank added.

"Thank you, Hank," Will nodded.

"The whole CPD is here for you, if you need anything do not hesitate to find us, we aren't leaving until we know something."

"I wouldn't expect anything less," Will gave Hank his best attempt at a smile. His head was spinning, partially from recovery but mostly with the sudden rush of news about Jay. Hank excused himself, heading back to his team and now Will looked to Natalie who was just as lost as he was. She didn't know what to say, knowing everything that they did they knew the mortality of it all. Her only offer to him was taking his hand and wrapping her arm around him as they sat in silence for another long wait ahead of them.


	14. Chapter 14

Will could feel the bile rise in his throat as soon as he spotted Connor walking to his room. He clutched the sheets that covered his legs just as his heart started to pound. For the past three hours he sat in silence, except to send Natalie away to see Owen. He needed to be alone, worrying about whether Jay was going to die after protecting him. Now, as Connor walked towards him, he felt sick, the look on the surgeon's face didn't give him any comfort. Slowly Connor walked to the room, perhaps to delay the inevitable delivery of bad news but all the same he made it to the doorway. Will looked at him, stared at his facial features, studying his body language to figure out what time of news he was going to receive.

"Will, how are you feeling?" Delaying further, this wasn't good.

"Fine," by now Will felt as if his heart may burst if he was subjected to anymore diversion. "Is he alive?" Fair enough question; he watched as Connor took the chair that Natalie had once occupied and pulled it close to Will's bed.

"He is alive," Connor confirmed. Will let out the air that had been trapped in his lungs; this was only partially a relief because he knew that there was more to come.

"How bad?"

"Your brother is one tough son of a bitch," Connor joked lightly. "When he came in there was no doubt in my mind because of the bruising on his abdomen that he was bleeding internally."

"Obviously you were able to fix it."

"Yes, but he lost almost half his blood volume, if the team had found him any later…" he left the rest of his sentence to the imagination of Will. "Lathum and I did an exploratory Laparotomy, we found that his spleen was heavily damaged so we had it removed, he will have a rough recovery, but he is going to make it." Will could cry, if fact he could feel the burning in his eyes as the tears began to form.

"Thank you," Will couldn't possibly repay the men who saved his brother; policemen of medical professionals.

"He is in recovery but should be moved up here soon," Connor informed him. "His body temp is still slightly low and obviously with the condition he came in here in, we are going to monitor him closely." Will nodded in understanding, he knew they had to make sure he doesn't get an infection not that his spleen was gone he was at higher risk.

"Thank you, Connor, I mean it." Connor grabbed his colleagues' hand and gave it a squeeze, giving him a reassuring smile. "I'm going to check up on him as much as I can, and when you are recovered a little more, I will bring you to see him." Connor stood up and left, closing his curtain and door on his way out. It was just what Will needed, as soon as he heard the sliding door shut, he felt the dam break, sobbing in relief that he hadn't lost his brother, his best friend and last immediate family member he had.

He must have cried himself to sleep, though even laying in bed trying to recover was tiresome. The next thing he knew he felt the soft warm kiss on his forehead; Natalie was back. He didn't immediately wake up, he listened as she threw her coat and purse on the windowsill before sitting in the chair beside him. Though his eyelids felt heavy he managed to open them and croak out her name to gain her attention. Though the now dark room he could see her smile accompanied by her taking his hand into hers.

"Hey," Her voice was soft and sweet, like music to him.

"Hey," he replied slightly turning himself to her.

"So Jay is going to be okay?" She squeezed his hand. He nodded in response, the movement mad his headache appear again.

"Did you see him," Will inquired

"No, but he is a few rooms over." Will shot up, an honest mistake, everything spinning around him and his body ached. "Hey, not so fast." She laid him back down, running her fingers through his hair. "You need to stay bed ridden a little longer."

"I need to see him," Will whined.

"And you will but we can't have you going over when you are still getting well yourself, you know that." He didn't want to let the fact that he was brutally beaten keep him from seeing Jay, but she was right. He could feel his eyelids weight down anyway, he was still exhausted. "Get some rest, we will see him soon, just wait a little bit longer." Will nodded, his eyes fluttered shut and he was asleep again.

While asleep he had the dream that seemed to reoccur ever since he had woken up at Gaffney. He knew that it was just his brain catching up and remembering what happened that night but he was still fuzzy, bits and pieces like clips from a film. It always ended the same, Jay pushing him on telling him to go, this time it ended differently. Jay was there, telling him to get up, to keep going but this time the men caught up and he watched as the executed Jay in front of him before turning the gun to him, a gunshot fired and he snapped upright in his hospital. He could feel his heart hammer in his chest, his head mimicked the beat and his gown was soaked through with sweat.

"Hey…hey…hey," Natalie took his hand. "Shhhh, you're okay, you are safe," she assured him, rubbing circles on his back.

"I need to see him," he pleaded. If it were any other circumstance, she would have told him no, but she could see the panic and fear in his eyes and instead let out a subtle nod. She kissed him gingerly in his cheek before going to tell the nurse. He felt like she had been gone forever but soon she returned with a wheelchair and Rhodes.

"Only for a minute Will, then back to bed," Connor instructed. Eagerly, Will agreed and without hesitation he let Natalie and Connor guide him into the chair. She gave his shoulder a squeeze before following Connor out and over four rooms over. The shades were drawn, and the door was closed but the plaque on the door read "J. Halstead." Connor opened the door and ushered the two of them in. Will peaked around Connor to his brother who laid placed in a heavily medicated sleep. Will reached out as soon as he got to the bedside grabbing his brother's hand just to be sure this was all real. Taking the cue, Natalie and Connor stepped out but not before Connor added, "ten minutes Will." Once they were clear Will let his guard down, tears slipped down his face.

"We're safe Jay, were gonna be okay." He wondered if Jay could hear him, there was so much he wanted to say.

"How could you sacrifice yourself like that, you scared the shit out of me, I thought you were dead." The yelling only angered his head more. "Thank you for saving me, always," he added. He squeezed Jay's hand hoping for something back, but Jay's hand was motionless, some comfort came as Will felt Jay's strong pulse beneath his own pointer finger.

"I need you to wake up soon man, I need to make sure you make it though because I'd never forgive myself." With his free hand he wiped away his tears and his nose.

"Will, we have to go back," Natalie announces gently. Will felt cheated, there was no way that was ten minutes, but a promise was a promise so with one last pat to Jay's hand and a quick "I love you," he allowed Natalie to push him back to his room. As she and a nurse laid him back in bed she leaned over and wrapped her arms around him.

"He will wake up and when it happens, I promise you will see him."


	15. Chapter 15

To say that Will was furious was an understatement, the minute he walked into the ED room he beelined to Jay's room. He didn't say anything, he let his facial expressions and body language speak for itself. He stood in the doorway, arms crossed and face red with anger.

"Please don't start," Jay groaned as April finished cleaning him up.

"What the hell were you thinking," Will sneered.

"I was thinking that I needed to catch the man that killed Dad."

"Something your team was doing Jay, they had it handled I needed you here!"

"Listen I already got chewed out by Voight, I don't need it again." Jay pulled his shirt up on his shoulders gingerly.

"You are so infuriating," Will shouted through gritted teeth. Frustrated, he fell into the chair in rubbing his hands over his face. "You are so caught up in revenge that you didn't think."

"It's not revenge Will, it's my job!"

"One that Voight put you on the sidelines for!"

"At the end of the day I got Dad's killer."

"At the end of the day you got shot!" Will shot up from his chair and began to pacing the floor, angrily letting out huffs of air.

"It was a graze and I'm fine!" Jay brushed it off.

"God you are so dumb Jay and so oblivious," Will shot back. "Are you forgetting that we bury our father in TWO DAYS?" By now Will could feel his face hot with anger spewing his words to Jay who sat ready to defend his actions. "And; while you're out there playing Vigilante, I'm at Dad's sorting though things, calling family members telling them he's dead and setting up a service."

"Will, im sorry but I couldn't let him get away."

"Your team, the one you trust was out making sure of that but that gigantic ego of yours took over."

"I do not have a gigantic ego," Jay scoffed.

"Sure you do; did you not think the team was capable of figuring this out on their own?"

"I did but…"

"But nothing Jay, god you are so selfish!"

"Selfish, I did it for us, I did it for DAD!"

"You did it because you felt bad for how you left things with him, and not once did you think about how much I needed you!" They both sat quietly for a minute before Will fell into the chair again, threw his hands up in frustration and let out a heavy sigh. "When Mom was sick, you called me, told me I needed to come home and stop thinking about myself," He finally said. "I did, because I knew I didn't have a lot of time with her but also because we would need each other." Looking back, Will remembered the whole plane ride from New York to Chicago he thought of what he would say to Jay after months of avoiding him. "I came home, sat with you and mom, watched her die and then stayed with you to plan everything and just be with my brother while we both grieved.

"I'm sorry Will," Jay apologized sheepishly.

"It's not even the fact that you went out of your way to force yourself into this case but rather the fact that you didn't hold into account that you could have made me lose the only family I had left." It was true, Jay had never thought of it that way, instead he was so focused on his rage then when he was shot he didn't think about what it would do to Will. "It's just you and I now, that's it, and I almost lost that today because you weren't thinking."

"You're right, I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry Will, I got caught up in it all, I was mad." Jay looked embarrassed for his behavior causing Will to soften slightly.

"It's hard enough burying Dad, don't EVER pull something like this again," Will demanded. Sheepishly, Jay nodded while still trying to tug his shirt on. Will let out a sigh and with pity he went over to help his brother.

Will woke up to the voices of Natalie and Maggie as they whispered at the far end of the room, to far away for him to make out what they were talking about. Still slightly exhausted, he forced his eyes open only to be blinded by the florescent lighting. His groan caught the attention of the two woman and they conversation was cut short.

"We were wondering when you were going to get up," Natalie teased.

"What time is it," he asked, his voice groggy.

"About two in the afternoon," Maggie responded.

"Wow, I must have been more tired than I thought," He slowly sat himself up, letting his eyes adjust.

"You're telling us, its been the first fit-less night of sleep you've had since… well since you woke up the first time."

"How's Jay," it was coming back slowly what Jay had done and perhaps, though he shouldn't he felt responsible.

"Still out of it, but he is holding stable which is good." Natalie smiled though Will wasn't truly convinced.

"Good," he forced a fake smile, he knew he shouldn't, but he felt a little guilty that Jay was in this state. "Maybe I could see him today," Will knew that he was pushing it but now that Jay was here and out of surgery, he wanted to be with him.

"We will see, ill have to talk to Connor." She walked over and grabbed her purse. "I have to go get Owen from Helen's house; I will stop by later though."

"Nat, you don't have to, spend time with Owen; I'm fine," he assured her. "Besides, I have Maggie."

"Got that right, and I WILL keep him in line," Maggie elbowed Nat's arm.

"Fine, but no impromptu trips without talking to Connor, got it," the mother really coming out in her voice.

"Agreed; now go Nat and give Owen a huge squeeze for me," Maggie offering her a hug of her own. Natalie walked over and kissed Will's cheek before exiting. Once out of sight Maggie sat down beside Will and offered him the cup of water on his meal tray.

"How is Jay really," he asked Maggie. Seeing her hesitate made him tack on a, "I know something is up."

"He has a slight fever; they are just worried with having his spleen removed."

"The risk of infection is always highest after surgery," Will's brow furrowed with concern.

"He did sit down in a basement, skin exposed for a length of time, his body is probably just healing."

"Yeah probably, is anyone with him?"

"Right now, I think I saw Kevin Atwater and Kim Burgess, Voight and Hailey were in earlier today," She smiled. "Oh, and somehow, Adam Ruzek convinced the floor nurses that he was police protection and stayed overnight." Will couldn't help but chuckle at his brother's clever team and their antics.

"I'm glad he has his team; I don't know what I would have done if he was missing and it was anyone else."

"Yeah, Hank Voight is no one to mess with," Maggie agreed.

"He's gonna be okay right, I mean have you seen him?"

"About an hour ago I did, aside from the fever, his wound isn't red and no drainage and like Natalie said he is holding stable otherwise." Will closed his eyes and nodded, he was worried, but he knew that Jay was in the best hand he could be in.

"How about we eat and then I will see if I can convince Connor to let you get up and see Jay." Will nodded in agreement but he would barely make it though dinner as the exhaustion took over again and before Maggie had time to put his food tray off to the side his eyes shut, and he was out again.

Will was moved from the ICU when he woke up again, unfortunately they needed the space, so he was moved down a floor away from Jay who was still out like a light. Natalie had told him that he was going to have a trial ambulation later and if all went well, and if he could take it they could walk up to see Jay. He held on to that all day so when Connor came in personally to check on him, he forced himself to sit up straight and willed himself to ace his ambulation. Natalie and a nurse from that floor, Carla was her name helped him up from his bed and with the assistance of Natalie and his IV pole he took his first steps. He felt like a newborn fawn, trying to balance himself, his head injury had messed up his coordination for sure, he wasn't truly aware of how bad until he took his first couple of steps. Natalie used all her strength to steady him and after the initial clumsy steps Will began to straighten out.

"You're doing great," She encouraged.

"I feel like I have to relearn how to walk." It was an easy enough task, he had been doing it since he was 11 months but right now, he had to remind himself on foot in front of the other, slow and steady.

"You are recovering from a brain injury, give yourself credit, the fact that you are up and at 'em is incredible." It was true, when Will had first entered the hospital and she had seen his state she was terrified he wouldn't make it, then once he was out of surgery she was sure that when he woke up there would be some sort of side effects of having been his head beaten bloody. It almost seemed to unbelievable that he was okay and that other than the memory loss of the night, which was slowly making its way back, he was okay.

"I know, I just want to get this right, I want to see Jay again."

"And you will but you are still recovering, and he is stable for now."

"And the fever," Will asked.

"Has gone down, he is doing okay." She quickly caught him as he tripped over his footing. "We made it pretty far," She looked back, they were halfway down the hall. "I'm sure Carla can get a wheelchair," She motioned for Carla.

"I can do it," He protested.

"Will, you will get there, don't push yourself to hard," She spoke in a warning tone. Reluctantly he sat down once Carla pushed the chair up behind him, he stayed silent the short ride back. Natalie took note of the discourage that he was feeling, she also made a mental note to plead Connor for another trip to Jay's bedside. She thanked Carla and helped Will back in bed, kissing him on the cheek, holding his hand, "You did good today."

"Thanks Nat," he smiled. "I mean for being here."

"Always Will."

Will had lost count of how long he had been in the hospital, but he guessed about a week, a week of bed rest with a few walks here and there to build up his walking. It took him a few tries but after a while he stopped using Natalie as support and was able to roam around with the light assist of his IV pole. When he was sure he was fine to walk alone he set a plan out, he encouraged Natalie to go home, stay with Owen for a while. Next, he waited on shift change, Carla his nurse was a strict woman, she reminded him of Maggie. Once she had handed off report to Emily the night nurse who was very occupied with a combative sundowns patient he made his move. He waited until his last round of meds had been administered for the night, waited ten minutes before slipping out of bed. He peeked his head out of his room scanning the empty hall, the lights had been reduced down to their nighttime dim and most of the nurses were preoccupied by note taking or random conversation to see him sneak out. Luckily, he was at the end of the hallway where he could make his quick escape to the patient elevators.

He was in the clear, his next obstacle was the ICU, most nurses and Doctors were seated at the desk so he would easily be spotted. He let out a breath as the doors opened, quickly he ducked behind the wall, keeping an eye on the nurse and doctor who occupied the nurse's station. The ICU was on big circle with the station smack in the middle for easy access and visual of all rooms. Unfortunately for Will, Jay's room was on in the middle of the loop. The Doctor, whom Will had met before was busy typing up notes while the nurse was getting meds out of the Pyxis machine. He took his moment, moving quickly, he let out a sigh of relief that neither of them had noticed and that they other doctors and nurses had stayed in the rooms they were currently in.

He reached Jay's room, quickly checking to make sure that the coast was clear, to his surprise the room was empty; they must have known Adam was a liar about police protection. Will slid the door closed behind him carefully before sitting in the geriatric chair beside Jay's bed. He had to admit all this sneaking around was exhausting, and perhaps his meds were kicking into effect, but he needed to be here.

"Hey Jay, I came to sit with you for a while," He reclined the chair back, it was right beside Jay's bed so right there he needed it to be.

"You better wake up soon, you promised me you wouldn't do anything stupid like this again." He yawned. "Still just you and I Jay, we need each other," he reminded him. He looked at Jay who looked beaten to hell, he was sure he looked the same way but at least he was awake. It scared him, he was a doctor and had seen bad cases before, this could have been so much worse. He reached out and held his brother's hand, just to be a little closer to him. He had meant to stay only a little while but again the exhaustion of the trip and recovery took their toll and before he could catch himself, he was asleep.

He woke up in the chair, the sunlight streaming though the window in the room. He wasn't sure who had done it, but he was now covered with a blanket and a pillow rest behind his head. He looked over and Jay still lay asleep. He was quite surprised that no one had woken him up to yell at him or bring him back down, though he was sure that would happen at some point.

"Ah, he's awake," Will looked to the doorway as Hailey and Adam walked in, coffees in hand.

"Good morning sleeping beauty," Adam teased, "you're in a world of trouble."

"I figured," he responded, wiping away the crust that had formed in the corner of his eye.

"That nurse Carla is not please but Dr. Rhodes seemed to calm her down, though he wasn't to pleased getting a page that one of his patients was MIA." Hailey slid into the chair by the door.

"Sitting down there was driving me crazy, I have no regrets," he joked.

"You won't be saying that once Carla comes back, she was nice enough though to give you those," Adam motioned towards the blanket and pillow.  
"I was wondering, well dead man walking or not I wanted to see Jay."

"It's understandable, this has been one hell of a week," Hailey said sadly.

"An understatement, how was closing the case."

"Well from the men that survived our raid, they are going away for a long time," Adam assured him.

"I just don't understand, I mean I'm glad they kept Jay alive but why?"

"The man known as 'the mirage' hates cops, wanted to torture one."

"If he wasn't dead, I'd kill him myself," Will confessed with pure hatred.

"What they did to both of you, it was terrible, a true nightmare." Hailey looked longingly over at Jay; she, much like the rest of the team wanted Jay back.

"I keep catching bits and pieces here and there, it was bad."

"Well you're safe now, we got your back."

"Thanks, I appreciate you guys."

"Well appreciate this, I'd fake sleeping because here comes Carla," Adam warned.

Sounds were muffled but he knew that voice, there was no doubt it was Will, It was too garbled to make anything out but it was followed but the other familiar voices of his partner Hailey and Adam. He tried to force himself awake but he felt trapped in his body, he felt like he was in a night terror where he was paralyzed and couldn't move anything. Another booming voice filled the room, he heard the person say something about dangerous before being cut off by Will. It lasted a few minutes and then his brother's and the booming second voice were gone; leaving only Hailey and Adam. He wished he could move something, his arm, his hand, even a finger but everything was weighed down. He didn't know what was happening or where he was but it scared him. Fear was in his vocabulary but there were only a few times he had shown it, mostly it was internally, since he was young he always had to be the strong one, for Will, for his mother. He finally gave up trying to open his eyes, it drained him almost instantly and there he was again drifting off, the voices of Hailey and Adam becoming more distant as he drifted farther out.


	16. Chapter 16

Jay woke up to the sound of monitors beeping, to the smell of medical grade sanitizer and the weight of blankets holding him down. His conclusion… he was in the hospital, a place he truly hated with all his might. He slowly found the strength to force his eyes open just a crack, finding himself in the dark. It seemed silly, everything around him told him he was safe in the hospital, but the darkness triggered his memories of being downstairs in the damp cold basement. He tried to move but his body ached, especially his stomach; it felt as if he went eight rounds with the heavy weight champ and this was entirely possible, his captor and his minions were very jacked. He allowed his head to lob to the side where he heard a heavy snore, this came as no surprise, but Adam was laying in the recliner chair, arms crossed over his chest and his boots kicked off, sleeping heavily. He knew his team would find their way in, and he wondered how Adam swung this one. He wanted to call out to him, but he found his mouth extremely dry, nothing would come out and when he tried to force it out it was like knives in his airway. He carefully felt around in his blankets, lifting his arms felt like 1000-pound weights but soon he found what his looking for. His eyesight was still blurry, but he found the big red button on the top and pressed it. Within seconds two nurses rushed in, startling Adam awake. To his amusement Adam jumped away, panic on his face before he looked at Jay, then a wide grin filled his face.

"Dammit Jay, thank god you're awake!" He flopped back into his chair let out a relived laugh, Jay gave him a weak, reassuring smile.

"Welcome back Detective Halstead; I'm Amy you had your friends quite worried." She checked his vitals while the had left to get his doctor.

"Worried is an understatement," Adam interrupted, "Scared the hell out of us is more like it!"

"Good you're awake," Connor Rhodes walked in with Molly. "Adam, I see you have decided to disregard Ms. Garrett's rules."

"I fell asleep during visiting hours," Adam shrugged innocently. Connor shook his head and returned his attention back to Jay.

"I'm gonna ask you a few questions, is that okay?" he handed Jay a cup of water and waited for confirmation, "Good, can you tell me where we are."

Jay took a gulp of water, letting it soothe his throat before answering correctly with, "Gaffney." His answer was barely audible, but he was able to push it out.

"Good, and do you know who this guy is?" He pointed to Adam who was intently viewing the exam.

"Ruzek."

"Do you know why you are here?" He didn't verbally answer Connor, instead he nodded. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Adam's demeanor change.

"Will," he was able to rasp out."

"Awake, alert and attempting another break out of his room to see you," Connor smiled.

"Another breaks out," Jay asked confused.

"Let's just say that Adam is not the only person who likes to break rules," Connor explained, "actually, I am pretty sure most of your team has broken the visitor rules."

"Lucky for us Goodwin has a soft spot for us," Adam chimed in.

"Anyway, I think your brother and you have a competition of your injuries." He read through the list of injuries. "Both you and Will have a long road to recovery, especially out escape artist but you'll get back to were you were."

"Thank you," Jay spoke with gratitude even if the rough state of his voice hid it. The gravely tone that he was sporting was similar to Voight's and it only took Adam about four minutes after Connor left to point it out. He listened to Adam update him on everything, the team, the case, the fate of his abductors/ attackers mostly because he didn't want to fall asleep and wake up back in that basement. He knew that it was silly, he had been though training for this in the rangers but being told every hour that Will was dead did get to him. He felt his eyes droop close, quickly shooting them open, but Adam noticed it immediately.

"I'm going to talk to the team, let them know we got to see those pretty green eyes of yours." He wanted to fight it but much to his dismay the pain meds were kicking in, making it almost impossible to keep his eyes open, we wouldn't even see Adam walk out of the room.

"Knock, Knock," Connor announced himself. When he arrived, Will was in a deep conversation with Ethan, April, and Maggie, all of whom had just gotten off shift.

"Come in," Will welcomed him.

"I just came to give you a little good news."

"That Carla has handed me over to either Ken or Ginny," Will teased.

"No," Connor looked over his shoulder to the nurse's station, "I am pretty sure she is going to keep a hawk's eye on you."

"Oh she has, the past two days have been nothing but stare downs." That was true, she had not taken her eye off of him and she must have pulled strings to have Daniel, another strict nurse to take over on overnights.

"Well this news that I have in no way means jump out of bed again," Connor warned sternly.

"Jay," Will shot up a little straighter in his bed.

"Yes, Jay."

"He's awake?"

"Yes, he is awake."

"Is he okay?"

"He answered all my questions and is currently on pain killers, so I am sure he is feeling just fine."

"Thank god," He let his head fall back into the pillow, letting out a breath of relief.

"You both are very lucky, but you have to promise me that you will NOT try another walk, you are still healing Will."

"I just want to see him."

"And you will, we will find out a way, but you need to rest then we can get you two together but only if you promise not to over do it," Reluctantly, Will agreed. "Okay, I will come up with a plan, just give me a little time, in the meantime, listen to Carla."

"Promise," Will answered back eagerly. All he wanted was to see his brother, see for himself that Jay was up and talking.

"Keep an eye in him," Connor instructed Ethan and April.

"Don't worry our Houdini like friend is staying put," April gave Will a stern glare. It wasn't a lie that Doctors made the worst patients.

Will waited, patiently for two days; following all of Carla's rules, staying bed ridden but silently going insane. He felt like a child who was waiting for some big day, anticipation killing him as he waited to see Jay. Two days though before Connor came back with Carla and a wheelchair to get into.

"Jay has been bugging me just as much as you have," Connor informed him as Carla and him helped him settle into the chair.

"Us Halsteads are pretty persistent," Will teased.

"Hmm, persistent or annoying, it's hard to decipher," Connor jabbed back.

"Oh ouch," Will chuckled. He was wheeled out of his room, his excitement surprisingly contained as Connor personally wheeled him into the elevator. Normally, Carla would be his escort but being a colleague and a friend gave him the special treatment.

"I know Nat will be up, so I told Carla to send her to you when she gets in, I have surgery in an hour, I have to prep."

"I appreciate this Connor."

"Hey if it was my sister, I would want to be with her too." The elevator pulled to a halt, opening the doors as it let out its chime.

"Has he really been just as annoying?"

"Pretty similar, asking to see you every 30 minutes, I think that if we kept you two apart any longer the hospital staff would go nuts." Will offered a chuckle but his focus was focused on the room only about ten feet away, growing closed. For some reason he was worried, he knew there was no need to be, this was a reunion, but they had both been through hell and back to get to this point.

"Jay, I have a visitor," he heard Connor announce before pushing him into the room. To his relief Jay was up and very animated about seeing his brother.

"You look like you went three rounds with the heavy weight champ," Will teased.

"If that's what you think you should take a look at yourself." A moment of silence gave Connor the perfect segue to exit.

"I'm going to leave you two, Will remember, when Nat gets here that's when you go down."

"Oh scouts honor," Will crossed his heart. Connor rolled his eyes and left the room, leaving the two Halstead at a loss of conversation. "You know you promised me none of that heroic nonsense."

"Heroic Nonsense," Jay enquired.

"Yeah, putting yourself in danger."

"I don't recall that conversation."

"Yeah sure you don't," Will looked down at his hands, he hadn't really noticed because of his others but he did have a nice cut on the back of his hand. It was one that would only be a background scar compared to the ones on his face. "I thought you were dead, from what I can remember," He shook his head, it was there just a little fuzzy. For now, every memory he had been a mix of the attack and memories of their past.

"Me too…" Jay confessed, "they told me you were dead."

"That I was dead?"

"Yeah, I mean you looked like hell when I left you, it didn't take a ton of convincing, I didn't think you had gotten that far when they caught with me."

"Voight told me I made it like one or two blocks, I don't remember."

"Really," Jay replied in disbelief.

"I may not be the better of the athletes, but I did run track in high school."

"For like three weeks and before you say football, you were benched…a lot."

"Rub that in," Will rolled his eyes. Another awkward silence enveloped the room, as they waited for the other to talk.

"I'm sorry man, this is all my fault."

"How is this your fault," Will's head shot in the direction of his brother.

"Come on Will, they were after me, I should have gotten the team involved." He bunched the blanket in his hands using as his focus point so he didn't have to look Will in the eye. "I made a promise when Dad died, I remember, not playing hero by myself but I didn't want to scare Anita, guess if I had we could have gotten her to safety."

"They told me that her brother was in danger, the minute they moved her, her brother was as good as dead."

"Yeah maybe but instead it was my brother who was almost dead."

"I'm right here Jay, sitting next you banged up for sure but alive thanks to you." Will reached out his hand out to his brother who, with a little hesitation took it. "I am alive because you pulled me, dragged me down the street and forced me you run."

"We got lucky huh," Jay scoffed.

"Hell, yeah we got lucky Jay, we are alive; I didn't bleed out in a snowbank and you didn't freeze to death in that basement."

"Us Halsteads are stubborn sons of bitches," Jay confirmed.

"Yes, but I think I have had enough excitement in my lifetime, lets NEVER do this again."

"I can agree with that." Jay smiled.

"Good," Will nodded setting them into another bout of silence.

"Well, since all that is over… maybe you can tell me about why everyone is calling you an escape artist." Will's face light up and he fell into his story of his late-night shenanigans. They sat talking until Natalie came in three hours later and forced Will back to his room.

Another week in the hospital and an order for outpatient PT and both Halstead brothers were released. It took some time to get back to even ground for them, but they were halfway there. Both of them were still having nightmares and at times Jay still woke up in a heavy sweat as he had to remind himself that he was safe. The memories of that night would still be burned into their brains, they stayed filed under all the war flashbacks that Jay still suffered from. Closure was sending the last of Mirages lackeys away for the rest of their life and then finally the one thing that Will knew Jay needed most. A visit from Anita who insisted to Jay that none of what had happened was his fault. He knew it was going to take time for Jay to believe that, or maybe he would hold that tinge of guilt forever but that visit had caused a little of it to be chipped away.

Will had said it in the hospital, they were lucky; lucky that they were found, lucky that they team searched, that Will's team worked tirelessly to save them. Most of all they were lucky that Halstead men were stubborn as hell, and could never call it quits.


End file.
